


Alrescha

by OfTheAshTree62, Reijin_Hakumei



Series: Vernal Equinox [2]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Aftercare, Age Difference, Alternate Universe - BDSM, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Sex Shop, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Asexual Relationship, Bondage, Come Swallowing, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dom/sub, Domestic Fluff, Dominance, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Hair Braiding, Hair Kink, Light Bondage, M/M, Making Out, Massage, Non-Sexual Bondage, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Non-Sexual Kink, Non-Sexual Submission, Oral Sex, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Abuse, Platonic Cuddling, Polyamory, Praise Kink, Prostate Massage, Sex Toys, Size Difference, Social Anxiety, Submission, Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-16 16:54:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 97,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29457069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OfTheAshTree62/pseuds/OfTheAshTree62, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reijin_Hakumei/pseuds/Reijin_Hakumei
Summary: With his life having been so harmonious before he met Yukio, Jushiro didn’t think that introducing more pieces to a puzzle that already seemed complete would have possibly brought peace. But, just because he could see the picture didn’t mean it was finished. Ichigo and Yukio were the final two pieces - the ones that brought the entire image into sharper focus, adding beautiful details and connections Jushiro could have never imagined existed.And now they all fit perfectly together.
Relationships: Kurosaki Ichigo/Ukitake Juushirou, Kurosaki Ichigo/Yukio Hans Vorarlberna, Ukitake Juushiro/Yukio Hans Vorarlberna, Ukitake Juushirou/Kurosaki Ichigo/Yukio Hans Vorarlberna, Ulquiorra Cifer/Hitsugaya Toushirou
Series: Vernal Equinox [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2163654
Comments: 16
Kudos: 7





	1. Zeta

It had been only very seldom that Toshiro had been in this room. It had always been Jushiro and Shunsui's space to him. He and Ulquiorra had used it with Jushiro when his uncle had trained his partner, and he'd tried several of the other methods of play with them in order to narrow down his subspace triggers once he completely trusted Ulquiorra in that way, his uncle again being sure to guide them through using anything they wanted to. So he'd tried, at least once, temperature play and very light impact play. They simply didn't affect him other than make him slightly uncomfortable. So he and Ulquiorra hadn't been down here since.

But his uncle wanted some help doing much the same as he had guided Toshiro and Ulquiorra through with his two, still very green partners. It was early May and both would be graduating college in a week, had already submitted their final projects for their classes, and sat all of their final exams. It was clear that a large amount of stress was now gone, both having been completely wrapped up in school work the past couple weeks. Now that they were officially done with those obligations, his uncle felt like it was a good time to do this - before it would have been exceedingly difficult to get them to relax and let go, even with a known, reliable trigger. 

Toshiro sat leaned against Ulquiorra on the bed, Yukio cuddled into his other side, in the finished basement of the house. The room was large, taking up almost the entire space except for a large, full bath, the door to which was currently closed. Shunsui had always been… curious, and wanting to experience new things, try things at least once. And he had been with Jushiro for so many years, the two had amassed quite the collection of items for the different types of play. 

This room became the place where they used them, an area that had been off limits to Toshiro until he was around sixteen, and even then it was really to just suffer through an embarrassing talk with Shunsui about how he'd feel much more comfortable with Toshiro experimenting at home than going some place where he might get hurt. Toshiro now honestly understood the sentiment but at the time he _really_ didn't want anything to do with any of this. And he still had no interest in anything sexual involving a partner. Back then though, he hadn't even known what ace or aegosexual was, so he hadn't _been able_ to say he identified that way to Shunsui. 

It had become rather obvious when he'd had his first attempt at a romantic relationship that he didn't like being touched certain ways, that he wasn't even comfortable with deep kissing. He'd honestly thought something was wrong with him and had eventually come to Jushiro with it. Luckily his uncle was well-versed in differing types of sexuality and helped explain that it was likely just his sexual identity to be that way, and that there wasn't _anything_ wrong with him. 

After he had the term ace to go by, an extensive amount of time on the internet had allowed him to determine exactly where he fell on the gray spectrum. Saying he was aegosexual oftentimes just caused more confusion, however, and was often more information than people needed to understand. So he usually simply said he was ace, as he had with Ichigo and at first with Yukio, though he had since had some deeper conversations with Yukio about his specific ace orientation. 

Jushiro's knowledge of such things was one of the reasons he sold what he did at Pisces, and growing up around it had left little room for Toshiro to be embarrassed by any of it. Especially since Shunsui would often openly talk - about anything - regardless if Toshiro could hear or not. Toshiro no longer _really_ minded, but as a teenager he had at times really wished his other father figure knew what a filter was. 

None of the items in this room interested Toshiro - or Ulquiorra. But Toshiro knew how much comfort his presence brought Yukio, especially when it had to do with trying anything new to trigger his deeper subspace. So they had agreed to do more platonic scenes with the trio. 

Yukio had really flourished with Jushiro as his master - or Meister as he called him, his accent completely endearing - and Ichigo always near, still very protective and supporting him whenever Jushiro wasn't around. He still hung out with Toshiro and Ulquiorra quite often, happy to cuddle into Toshiro's side as they gamed. And Toshiro played racquetball with Ichigo almost daily. The dynamic was different, but he fully considered both of his uncle's partners to be his friend now, something he didn't take lightly and was very glad to be able to do. He trusted both to respect himself and Ulquiorra, and he was only happy to be able to help and do this with them. 

Jushiro was milling around the room, gathering and preparing what the five of them would need for the scene they had planned and agreed to. He would have already been finished, but he was constantly interrupted by Ichigo. Jushiro realized rather quickly that inviting Ichigo to take a look around unsupervised was a mistake. Every few minutes, there was the inevitable “What’s this?” being thrown his way, and he couldn’t just ignore Ichigo, so he would stop what he was doing and answer his questions, usually in much more detail than Ichigo was evidently bargaining for. Apparently, every single thing in the room required an explanation, but it was clear that no one else minded the delay. In fact, Yukio seemed entirely amused as he watched Ichigo curiously prodding at every corner.

“Hey, what’s this for?” Ichigo asked _again,_ causing Jushiro to turn, an exasperated but fond smile on his face as he looked at the item in Ichigo’s hand.

“Impact play,” Jushiro replied simply, easily identifying a crop even from across the room.

“Oh, damn, you hit someone with this?” Ichigo asked, rather rhetorically, because it was quite obvious what _impact_ play would mean. He investigated it a bit more closely, feeling the soft leather at the end, looking up when he realized that Jushiro had approached him again. 

“Yes, that is what it’s for,” Jushiro said softly, taking the crop from Ichigo’s hands and placing it back where it belonged. “But we wouldn’t be trying anything like that today,” he added, pulling Ichigo back toward the bed. 

“Does it hurt?” Ichigo inquired, still rather intrigued by the idea, but willingly letting Jushiro guide him.

“Well, it _can,_ but if I were to introduce you to it, I wouldn’t allow it to hurt until I knew you enjoyed the pain. A light sting would really be all you would feel at first,” Jushiro explained. He lightly pressed on Ichigo’s shoulder with one hand when they reached the edge of the bed, and Ichigo followed the silent direction to sit.

“I’ve already said I’d try anything once. Consider that still true,” Ichigo said, lying across the bed with his hands folded behind his head. He was spread out not far from the other three, and he reached over to lightly run his hand over Yukio’s leg, smiling up at him and loving just how relaxed and happy he was cuddled into Toshiro’s side. 

Jushiro had just placed the last of the required things on the bedside table, and he turned to the other four. “Ice play first, since we postponed that before. Yukio and Ichigo will lie on their backs on the bed, as close together as you’d like. Toshiro, I want you sitting next to Yukio, since I’ll be administering this to Ichigo. I’ll still be watching you, Yukio, so don’t worry. I just want you to have as much support as possible,” Jushiro stated, being sure everyone knew their place in the scene before they began. “Ichigo, you’ll have to move,” he added when the man - who was clearly in the way of everyone else - didn’t move. 

“I just got comfortable,” Ichigo grumbled as he sat up to allow Yukio to lie down.

Yukio giggled at Ichigo, obediently laying down as Jushiro had directed as soon as he had the room. Toshiro laid flat the pillow that had been behind his back against the headboard without comment, Yukio resting his head upon it and smiling up at his friend. Toshiro really was amazingly perceptive and often would act on his own to do things to make the people he cared for more comfortable. Yukio closed his eyes and hummed in contentment as Toshiro gently ran his fingers through his hair in a soothing motion and shifted closer so that most of Yukio’s side was in contact with his stretched out leg. 

Toshiro smiled at the other submissive before teal eyes sought out the piercing emerald green of his partner, asking softly, "Is this alright, Ulqui? I believe you have enough room to administer the ice, but I can sit differently if you need me to."

Ulquiorra nodded, reaching over Toshiro’s legs and taking Yukio’s arm to silently direct him to rest it with his elbow bent, his forearm rested over his stomach. “Keep your arm like that, Yukio,” he instructed quietly. Ulquiorra had grown much more comfortable initiating contact with Yukio, making this even simpler for him to administer this than it already would have been when they had originally planned it. He knew Yukio wouldn’t act unpredictably or without direction, something he still feared Ichigo may do on impulse. Still, neither had ever touched him without asking, and he had been aptly impressed with Ichigo’s self-control around _him_ that didn’t seem to be present with much of anyone else in the house. 

After a brief assessment of Yukio and Toshiro’s position, Ulquiorra shifted down the bed a bit, kneeling next to Yukio’s legs, Toshiro’s feet almost touching Ulquiorra’s knees. “I can reach your arm better from here, Yukio, I’ll only need to lean over you to reach your neck. Will you allow me to do that?” he asked, meeting bright emerald eyes that nearly matched his own.

"Ja, sir," Yukio responded softly, giving Ulquiorra a small, genuine smile. He held nothing but respect for the reserved dominant and didn't have the slightest difficulty taking direction from him. He didn’t find him unnerving at all, actually appreciating his calm, quiet command over nearly every situation. 

Ulquiorra only nodded, averting his eyes to Ichigo and Jushiro, who had also settled in position, Ichigo laying as he had been told, only a bit of space between himself and Yukio. Ulquiorra brought his gaze up to Jushiro, who was smiling down at Ichigo and running a hand slowly through sunset orange hair. After a moment, jade eyes came up to meet with striking emerald, and Jushiro nodded. 

Ulquiorra reached back to the bowl on the bedside table to take a piece of ice in his hand, holding it cradled in the curve of his index finger and bracing it with his thumb. “Yukio, I will begin on your forearm, cooling a small area at a time and subsequently warming the same area with my other hand as I move up your arm. Do you understand?” he asked, his voice low and settled into its usual commanding tone.

"Ja, sir," Yukio responded, the back of his other hand finding and rubbing against Ichigo's side really by habit, feeling him next to him even as he remained focused on Ulquiorra. 

Ulquiorra nodded, keeping his attention on Yukio as he lowered the ice to Yukio’s skin, running it over an area on his forearm small enough that he could easily cover it with his hand when he needed to. Sharp eyes remained focused on every one of Yukio’s responses as he held the ice in contact with him, watching intently for any sign of distress.

Yukio’s arm immediately startled at the touch of the ice so cold against his skin, though relaxed again quickly. He frowned slightly, not really liking how it felt but finding it tolerable - though the longer Ulquiorra held it against him the less that was true. 

Seeing the slight grimace at the sensation, Ulquiorra lifted the ice from Yukio’s arm, placing his hand over the affected area to warm it again. “Yukio, if this is intolerable, I will stop immediately,” he reminded him as he held his hand over the chilled skin, rubbing it lightly until it began to warm again. On the next pass of the ice, he moved up Yukio’s arm a bit, near the crook of his elbow, still watching and careful not to hold the ice in contact with him for as long this time.

Yukio’s frown remained as he said softly, "It's not… intolerable… And your hand afterwards feels nice… The ice is just _really_ cold and it's not exactly pleasant, but not so much that I completely dislike this. Like I said, your hand feels nice…" Yukio trailed off, feeling like that may have not been very clear but finding it difficult to concentrate through the two extreme sensations. 

Ulquiorra nodded, having lifted the ice off again to hold his hand over the cool skin. “That’s alright, Yukio. Relax and feel, and if it does become too much, you only need to say so,” he instructed, waiting for a response before he made another move with the ice, which was quickly melting in his hand and against Yukio’s warm skin.

"Ja, sir," Yukio said, his small smile returning, reassured by Ulquiorra’s words. 

Ulquiorra nodded, still using the shrinking piece of ice in his hand in hopes that it wouldn’t be quite so intense. He trailed it up Yukio’s upper arm to his sleeve, receiving the same nonverbal response - a slight grimace as the ice touched and a relieved sigh when Ulquiorra’s hand took its place - but not being told to stop. It seemed Yukio was having the same rather neutral reaction to this that Toshiro did, though perhaps leaning a bit on the side of discomfort. As he warmed the area he had just cooled, he shifted a bit to lean over Yukio as he had told him he would to reach his neck. With his neck being much more sensitive than his arm, Ulquiorra kept an even closer eye on the currently relaxed man as he lightly pressed the remnants of the ice cube to the area just below Yukio’s jawbone. 

Yukio flinched at the far more intense feeling, releasing a small distressed sound before saying quickly, "Too much -" 

Ulquiorra had let up the pressure of his hand behind the ice as soon as Yukio had whined - his expression telling him immediately that it wasn’t a sound of pleasure - but when he actually voiced his discomfort, he removed the ice instantly, tossing it back into the bowl on the bedside table and pulling Yukio up by his arm. Really, his next actions seemed completely instinctual, and he wrapped his arms loosely around Yukio’s shoulders, the innate protectiveness he had for those he cared about overriding any reservations he would have normally had when allowing so much contact with someone other than his partner. But he knew he was in complete control of the contact, absolutely sure Yukio wouldn’t even return his loose embrace, which still left space between the two of them. He was only holding Yukio’s shoulders and making somewhat softened eye contact with him, searching for any continued discomfort. “Are you alright, Yukio?” he asked quietly, eyes still locked with Yukio’s.

"Ja," Yukio responded, not moving at all with Ulquiorra so close, not willing to accidentally initiate further contact with him. He had immediately relaxed at Ulquiorra’s actions, trusting him to take care of him and touched that he had gotten so close out of concern. "I'm alright," Yukio assured softly, giving him the small, fond smile he usually did whenever Ulquiorra was focused on him. 

Ulquiorra nodded, looking past Yukio to his partner. “I want you to sit with Toshiro while Jushiro does the same with Ichigo. Just slide back and sit against his side as you normally would. You will still be able to reach Ichigo,” he said plainly, loosening his arms around Yukio’s shoulders and fully releasing him when he was sure he was steady.

Yukio nodded, his smile widened as he responded, "Ja, sir." He moved back up the bed, cuddling into Toshiro’s side, the other submissive wrapping his arm around him and holding him against him. He reached to run his fingers through Ichigo's hair, happy between the two. 

Ulquiorra settled again next to Toshiro, wrapping an arm around his partner’s waist, not even minding that his arm was actually between Toshiro and Yukio. 

Toshiro immediately leaned into Ulquiorra, smiling as Yukio shifted a bit to remain cuddled close. He tightened his hold on Yukio slightly before releasing in something close to a hug, saying softly, "You did very well, Yukio. I'm not fond of temperature play in any form - I had much the same reaction as you did." Teal eyes flickered over to Ichigo as he continued, "I suppose we'll see if Ichigo is the same or not."

Jushiro had held off doing anything with Ichigo when he saw that Yukio’s reaction was less than satisfactory from the beginning, much more concerned with his partner than trying to hurry this along at all. When he was sure Yukio was settled again, comfortable and happy against Toshiro’s side, he reached to the opposite bedside table, having placed ice on both. “Ichigo, I’m going to do the same to you, beginning on your arm and moving to your neck. Understand?” he asked, keeping jade eyes locked with amber.

“Yeah, go ahead,” Ichigo replied, shifting a bit to settle more comfortably on the bed, leaning into Yukio’s hand in his hair. 

Jushiro nodded, turning Ichigo’s hand closest to him so that the inside of his wrist was facing up and pressing the ice to the inside of his forearm. He left it pressed there, moving it slightly up and down a small area of Ichigo’s arm, his eyes flicking between Ichigo’s arm and his face for any nonverbal reactions.

Ichigo gave a quiet, startled grunt when the ice touched his arm, staring intently at the ceiling and focusing on the cold sensation on his arm. Chills broke out over his skin, spreading past his arm to the back of his neck. He wasn’t exactly sure what to make of the sensation, but he allowed Jushiro to continue, the chilling reaction waning a bit when his warm hand replaced the ice.

Jushiro was a bit curious of Ichigo’s silence, studying him as he pressed his hand to the cool skin of his forearm. He proceeded, though, receiving no negative response, and ran the ice up Ichigo’s arm to his bicep, eyes widening a bit when Ichigo _did_ begin to respond.

The intensity of the ice, this time anticipated, caused a sharp, familiar feeling to shoot down Ichigo’s spine. He swallowed a small moan, turning his head away from Yukio to bring his eyes up to Jushiro.

Jushiro removed the ice, dropping it back in the bowl and pressing his hand to the area of Ichigo’s arm the ice had just been in contact with. When Ichigo whined a bit, Jushiro smiled and shook his head. “As interesting as that would be to explore, I believe it should wait until the three of us are alone,” he said with a light chuckle. 

Ichigo sighed a bit resignedly. “Fine,” he grumbled, still smiling as he turned back to Yukio, pressing into his hand to calm himself. It was odd how just the sudden, intense cold of the ice caused his entire body to erupt in pleasurable chills. Really, it seemed he was the opposite from Yukio, who had enjoyed the warm relief. That, to Ichigo, was just a distraction from the feeling that the ice elicited. 

“Ichigo,” Jushiro said quietly, drawing Ichigo’s gaze up to him, “Do you need a moment before we continue?”

Ichigo shook his head, but he still turned onto his side to curl into Yukio, his head against Yukio’s hip. “You good, Yukio? I saw that wasn’t too good for you,” he said just loudly enough that he knew he could hear him. 

"I'm good, Ichigo," Yukio said fondly, his fingers carding through Ichigo's hair and gently massaging. "I didn't really enjoy the ice but Ulquiorra made sure I wasn't too uncomfortable and stopped immediately, making sure I was alright, when I said it was too much." Yukio giggled softly, saying, "Seems like _you_ like the ice though."

Ichigo chuckled. “Yeah. Chills - _good_ chills - all over,” he replied, shuddering a bit just remembering the sensation. “Definitely something I’ll want to do again when we’re alone,” he added. He hadn’t truly gotten all that aroused, as Jushiro had ended things quickly when he realized what kind of response he was receiving, but Ichigo still took a deep, calming breath as Yukio massaged his head. 

Jushiro reached over and ran his hand over Ichigo’s side, saying, “Whenever we’re all ready, I want everyone to rearrange on the bed, Yukio and Toshiro sitting in the middle with their backs to one another for the next part of the scene.”

“I’m fine, really. So whenever Toshiro and Yukio are ready,” Ichigo insisted, moving back a bit from Yukio but not so far that he couldn’t reach him.

"I'm ready, Meister," Yukio said, smiling warmly at Jushiro. 

"As am I," Toshiro responded, loosening his hold around Yukio and patting his shoulder, smiling as Yukio moved to sit where Jushiro wanted. Toshiro looked up into his partner's striking emerald eyes, not willing to move while Ulquiorra had his arm wrapped around him, silently awaiting his approval to do as his uncle had directed. 

Ulquiorra loosened his hold on Toshiro and moved to allow him to sit behind Yukio. He took the long ribbon from the bedside table and knelt on one side of Toshiro and Yukio, looking up to find that Ichigo had done the same, grabbing the ribbon from the opposite bedside table and sitting on their other side. 

Ichigo glanced up at Jushiro, who was settled comfortably against the headboard to watch, a small smile on his face. The fact that Jushiro didn’t find it necessary to hover while Ichigo did this meant the world to Ichigo, really. He had practiced ribbon bondage several times on Yukio, especially recently with the stress of final exams and graduation, and Yukio always did love it. Ichigo had gained quite a bit of confidence, which was bolstered by the fact that Jushiro had only carefully observed him once, every other time watching peacefully and not interrupting at all. 

A small nod from the older man caused Ichigo to smile, and he placed the ribbon down on the bed to take Yukio’s hand, beginning to massage thoroughly as Ulquiorra did the same to Toshiro. All was quiet, as it normally was when Ulquiorra was involved. Really, though, Ichigo was only quiet because he knew how praise still affected Yukio, especially when he was in even a moderate subspace - because he was nearly always in a light one. He _wanted_ to tell Yukio how beautiful he was, the soft, kind words having become a bit of a habit after hearing Jushiro say them so often. But he knew his voice would not only have an effect on Yukio, but it would likely distract Toshiro, who was accustomed to silence from his partner. 

Yukio's eyes fell half-lidded in relaxation, melting under Ichigo's firm yet gentle hands as they massaged up his arms. Whatever lingering tension had remained in him from the ice left at the thorough massage, Yukio humming out in contentment and smiling up at Ichigo. 

Toshiro smiled at Yukio's pleased sound, not minding as it was soft and the other submissive was clearly happy. Toshiro had never thought he would ever become so protective over another person but Yukio really did seem to draw that out of everyone around him. Teal eyes remained locked with striking emerald as Ulquiorra massaged up his arm, his body gradually relaxing and leaning back against Yukio's back, his own soft, barely audible, contented hum leaving him as Yukio pressed back, the two leaning against each other for support, the warmth of Yukio's back sinking into him in a very relaxing, comforting way. 

Ulquiorra finished massaging all the way up Toshiro’s arm, not hesitating at all before taking Yukio’s hand and giving the same thorough treatment to Yukio’s arm that was resting against Toshiro’s, the two submissives seeming to melt into each other the longer he and Ichigo massaged their arms. Ulquiorra glanced briefly over at Ichigo, who was keeping pace with him and had switched to massaging Toshiro’s other arm, slowly kneading out the tension up his forearm and bicep to his shoulder. 

It hadn’t exactly been planned this way, but it seemed that Ichigo was silently following his pace and direction, so Ulquiorra made brief eye contact with Ichigo, taking his ribbon and being sure that the other had done the same. He ran both hands down Yukio and Toshiro’s arms, pressing their hands together and silently coaxing them to twine their fingers together and keep their hands clasped, Ichigo doing the same on the other side.

Yukio did as silently directed, feeling warm, happy, cared for, and loved by the men he now considered his family. He gently squeezed Toshiro's hands after they became clasped, humming again when Toshiro responded in kind. 

Toshiro had been bound in front of Yukio many times, and he had never been bothered by his presence. After coming to care for him as a part of his family, finding comfort in Yukio’s gentle, physical affection whenever he'd cuddle against his side, being _with_ him now - doing and experiencing this together - relaxed him far more quickly than usual. Teal eyes had already become glassy just from this, physical, affectionate touch and massage being triggers for him. His narrowed vision remained locked on Ulquiorra, his head slightly turned to do so comfortably, a soft, peaceful smile upon his face as his mind became utterly silent. 

Ichigo mirrored Ulquiorra’s movements as he brought the ribbon to Yukio and Toshiro’s wrists, gently looping it around before tightening the pressure with the first half of the knot, keeping the tension as he finished it. He ran a light touch around the edge of the ribbon, testing the tightness before continuing to wrap up both of their arms, holding them together with the firm, constant pressure. He matched Ulquiorra’s actions on every pass, the two of them mostly synchronized as they progressed up, wrapping all the way up to the submissives’ shoulders and effectively binding their arms together.

Toshiro felt Yukio shift slightly, the action likely automatic, to test the binding. A soft, pleased sound fell from Yukio’s lips, slumping back against Toshiro. Toshiro returned the pressure without a thought, keeping them both upright against one another. Toshiro’s breathing was slow and deep, completely relaxed and starting to feel that warm, fuzzy sensation beneath his skin, brought on by his own deep subspace as he fully released any and all control, gazing unfocused towards Ulquiorra. 

Yukio’s glassy, soft emerald eyes were trained on Ichigo but he wasn't really noticing what he was seeing anymore. He felt so warm and completely restrained - both by the ribbon and by not wanting to disturb Toshiro at all. His mind was wonderfully blank and he felt mostly _happy_ to be able to do this with Toshiro. 

Ulquiorra kept his soft gaze locked with bright, glassy teal eyes, having tied the ribbon off around the top of Toshiro’s shoulder and now only running his hands lightly over both of their bound arms. There was one more step, and Ulquiorra removed his hands from them only to reach back for the wide, soft length of fabric on the bedside table. Still keeping his eyes on Toshiro’s, he placed it over those incredibly bright, unfocused eyes, keeping the knot offset on the back of Toshiro’s head to keep it from being uncomfortable if Toshiro and Yukio happened to lean their heads back against one another. 

Ichigo took the blindfold from the table on his side of the bed, but before he placed it, he leaned in to kiss Yukio’s cheek, keeping his lips there as he whispered, just loudly enough for Yukio to hear, “After I blindfold you, I’m going to move to the sofa with Jushiro, remember? Ulquiorra has you, and he’ll take care of you. I won’t be far, and I’ll be back to you soon.”

Yukio nodded, the motion small as he breathed out, "Ja…"

Ichigo lightly and all but silently kissed Yukio’s cheek again before placing the blindfold, tying it tightly. He ran his hands over Toshiro and Yukio’s arms for a moment longer, being sure Yukio was settled - likely even more lost and happy than he had ever been before - before he withdrew his hands completely. He still remained next to them for a bit, smiling as he watched them relax into one another. When he finally looked up at Jushiro, his smile widened at the soft, loving expression on his partner’s face as he looked over Toshiro and Yukio. 

Jushiro finally caught Ichigo’s gaze after becoming a bit lost in watching Toshiro and Yukio being bound together. He knew they loved each other like brothers, which seemed like it would be odd with Jushiro’s romantic involvement with Yukio, but the bond the two submissives had with one another was just difficult to describe any other way. It was deeper than friendship, but they would never even consider being lovers, so that really only left… family. And Jushiro was thankful for that. Yukio had never had a family, and Toshiro’s - though loving - was quite unconventional. Having someone to talk to and spend time with who was like a sibling was an oddity for them, but it had also obviously made them both happier, and seeing them that way was something Jushiro would have never given up for the world. 

When Jushiro finally wrenched his eyes away, having seen Ichigo move away from Yukio, he carefully slid off the bed, gesturing for Ichigo to join him. He was intent to not _say_ a single word during this so as to not disturb the two on the bed, so he silently made his way to the couch that was set not far from the end of the bed, taking a length of rope from the bedside table as he passed. Ichigo had followed him, and he took his arm and coaxed him down into a seated position in the middle of the sofa. 

Once Ichigo was seated, he was quite shocked by the gentle force and decisiveness of Jushiro’s actions, pushing him down to lie down on the couch, his head rested on a pillow that was already set on one end. Ichigo was a bit confused when Jushiro settled on the couch cushion furthest away from him, directing him through touch to place one leg on each side of him. The older man placed the rope on the back of the couch within reach as he leaned over Ichigo, supporting himself with one hand on the arm of the couch behind his head. 

Jushiro smiled down at Ichigo, his free hand caressing his cheek and the other leaning into his palm. Ichigo truly was affectionate, and it pleased Jushiro to no end. He trailed his hand down to Ichigo’s neck, firmly feeling out Ichigo’s windpipe and watching amber eyes as he applied the gentle pressure. There was no obvious reaction to the contact, so he pressed three fingers to Ichigo’s neck just offset from the center of his throat, gently but firmly enough that he would be able to tell if this was having an effect. 

Ichigo’s breath hitched a bit when Jushiro pressed against his throat with a bit more force. He could still breathe fine, but the pressure brought on an odd sense of helplessness that was very much different from being bound with ribbon. This seemed to be something Ichigo couldn’t fight against, unlike the feel of something holding him back from moving. This was nearly debilitating - in the _best_ way. The more light pressure Jushiro applied, the more Ichigo felt all the fight leaving him, any temptation to force Jushiro off of him leaving in an instant. 

Jushiro grinned when he recognized the way Ichigo was slowly relaxing under him. Rougher treatment, it seemed, placed this fiery man under submission rather readily. But Ichigo was _giving_ him that control - _willingly -_ and that was obvious in the fact that, even with his hands completely free, he wasn’t trying to fight back. Jushiro shifted his hand a bit to flatten his palm against Ichigo’s throat, evening out the pressure and feeling the man fall even more lax beneath him. 

With Ichigo pliant, Jushiro slowly let up on the pressure to his neck, placing a single finger on Ichigo’s lips when slightly glazed amber eyes came to him rather desperately and Ichigo opened his mouth to speak. Instead of words, Jushiro only heard a muted whimper, and he leaned down to kiss Ichigo’s forehead reassuringly before reaching for the rope. He took both of Ichigo’s wrists and eased them up over his head, wrapping them and binding them quickly before returning his light touch to Ichigo’s arms, running his hands down to his shoulders. One hand went back to Ichigo’s throat, pressing but not as heavily as before, allowing full breaths but giving the illusion of being subdued. 

Ichigo felt his mind slipping quite quickly once his wrists were bound, the familiar trigger working quickly to pull him down into a state of helpless vulnerability. He didn’t mind, though, knowing that Jushiro was the one over him, taking care of him, leading him into this and eventually back out. He definitely wasn’t rushing anything, though, content to float absent of his thoughts, a sensation that wasn’t incredibly familiar to him but amazing every time he did get to experience it. 

Ulquiorra watched from the bed, a small smile coming to his lips when he saw that Ichigo was completely relaxed under Jushiro’s care. He continued to slowly run his hands over Toshiro and Yukio’s arms, occasionally touching Toshiro’s face and allowing him to nuzzle his cheek into his palm, sometimes even carding his fingers through Yukio’s hair. When he saw Jushiro easing up on Ichigo, slowly taking pressure off of his throat, Ulquiorra started the slow process of unbinding the two before him, taking his time in loosening the knot at their shoulders and gradually unraveling the ribbon down their arms. 

When the ribbon hung loose and bound only their wrists, he set to the task of massaging out any stiffness and tension in both of their arms, in no hurry as he worked from shoulder to wrist on both of them, finally untying and unwrapping the last of the ribbon, but not touching their joined hands, allowing them to keep them clasped as he moved to the other side. He kept an eye on Jushiro and Ichigo as he worked, unraveling and massaging in the same slow, tender manner, trying to move slowly enough that the other two would join them on the bed before he was finished. 

Jushiro was pressing light kisses to Ichigo’s face and hair as he held his hand on the rope that bound Ichigo’s wrists, reveling in every moment he was able to see Ichigo this way before he released him. His subspace was never quite as deep, and never lasted as long as Yukio’s, so when he had the chance, Jushiro always drew out the experience as well as he could. A glance at the bed told him Ulquiorra was nearly finished massaging Toshiro and Yukio’s arms, so he loosened the knot in the rope, allowing Ichigo to instinctively pull his wrists apart to prove to himself that he was free. It seemed to be an action he couldn’t avoid, having done so even the first time he was bound, so Jushiro never did attempt to stop him. 

He let the rope fall to the floor, easing Ichigo up again into a seated position sideways on the couch. He let him stay there, still mostly relaxed and only holding himself up to remain seated, for a few moments, kissing his cheek lightly before standing and helping him up. Jushiro guided Ichigo to the bed, where Ulquiorra had just taken off both of the blindfolds. Knowing that Yukio would need Ichigo soon after being released, Jushiro slid into the bed and settled against the headboard, pulling Ichigo’s hand to coax him up with him. He silently directed Ichigo to lie against his chest, Jushiro’s legs spread around him, as they waited for the other three to join them. 

Ulquiorra gently pulled one of Toshiro’s hands from within Yukio’s, one of his own hands occupying each instead as he directed them both back to the head of the bed. He pulled Toshiro into his lap, releasing his hand to hold him against his chest, his other hand separating from Yukio’s so he could put his arm around Yukio’s waist and pull him close to his side as Yukio would normally sit with Toshiro. 

Seeing that the other three were settled, Ichigo reached out to place a hand on Yukio’s leg, lightly running it over the top of his thigh. “Love you, Yukio,” he murmured, the words surfacing before he had even really considered them. 

"Love you, Ichigo," Yukio responded immediately, his hand reaching and smiling when he found Ichigo's arm, lightly caressing. He felt so completely relaxed, his mind blank. So much so he didn't even think about the fact that Ulquiorra was holding him far closer than usual, the position so familiar if usually against Toshiro's side. 

Toshiro was slumped against Ulquiorra's chest, his hand finding Yukio's again and smiling as the other submissive clasped them, squeezing slightly in affection. Toshiro's other hand was lightly rested over Ulquiorra's arm around him, fingers subtly moving back and forth, relishing in the contact - with both of them, really. Being bound to Yukio had felt wonderful, the other submissive only ever making him feel comfortable, accepted, respected, and loved in a way you would a sibling - completely, wanting nothing more than their presence and affection in return. That relationship had only heightened the experience for him, sending him deeper, faster, into his own subspace - something he definitely wanted to repeat. 

Jushiro couldn’t keep the smile off of his face as he looked at the others, the bond between all five of them clearly stronger than he had ever predicted it would be. Yukio’s hand was running lightly down Ichigo’s arm, while Ichigo made the same motion across Yukio’s thigh. Toshiro and Yukio seemed to be completely unwilling to release one another’s hands. Even Ulquiorra was providing more contact than usual, holding Yukio against his side in a way he previously only allowed Toshiro to be. It gave him a sense of belonging, of _family,_ and he knew all four of the others felt the same way. He brought a hand up to run his fingers in a slow steady motion through Ichigo’s hair, humming contentedly and letting his head fall back against the headboard.

Ichigo leaned into Jushiro’s hand in his hair, already surfacing, as he usually did rather quickly even after falling into a moderate subspace. It didn’t bother him, though. The slight buzz and immense relaxation of light subspace lingered for much longer than the effects of being deeper, and that was really what he sought. He cuddled a bit closer and more comfortably into Jushiro’s chest, bringing his hand to Yukio’s on his arm and taking it to bring it to his lips and kiss the back of it. “How’d I do, Yukio?” Ichigo asked quietly, his breath washing over the back of Yukio’s hand.

"Gut, Ichigo," Yukio murmured, his emerald eyes focusing slightly as he looked at him, his smile both relaxed and bright, completely happy. 

Jushiro chuckled at Ichigo’s question to Yukio, ruffling Ichigo’s hair a bit as he said, “You always do well, Ichigo. You all did exceedingly well today.” He pulled his head away from the headboard again to look down at Yukio, whose bright, still glassy emerald eyes were focused on Ichigo. He removed his hand from Ichigo’s hair to bring it to Yukio’s chin, drawing his focus up to him. “It was difficult to _stop_ watching you with Toshiro, love. It’s clear that the two of you trust and love each other, and I’ve never wanted anything more than for everyone in this room to be as happy as we are now,” he said, his voice calm and kind, the same tone he always carried when he spoke to this precious man - the tone that had gotten Yukio’s attention and pulled at his heart to trust Jushiro for the first time.

"Ja, Meister," Yukio responded, his voice soft, "I always feel relaxed and comfortable with Toshiro. It made falling into subspace even easier…"

"For me as well," Toshiro murmured, squeezing Yukio's hand still joined with his own, sighing in contentment. 

“Good,” Jushiro said with a smile, “Then I suppose it’s something we could certainly repeat in the future. I assure you, just because the three of us have interest in more sexual things doesn’t mean we’re going to cut the two of you off from what we do together. I want to do everything in my power to keep us all as close as we are now, not allow our differences to separate us.”

Toshiro looked towards his uncle, a small smile upon his face as he said, "Yukio is with Ulqui and I when Ulqui binds me to trigger my subspace more often than not. As he said, actually being bound _to_ him only triggered that state faster and deeper, especially with the blindfold on. I could only feel the binding and Yukio - save Ulqui's gentle touch. 

"I never thought I'd have anyone that I saw as a sibling and be this close to, trust this much, feel this understood with. Thank you, uncle - you've only ever encouraged our bond. And thank you for trusting Ulqui and I to help take care of him. I know Ulqui is fond of Yukio as well."

Jushiro brought his eyes up to meet with bright teal, still smiling as he said, “Toshiro, if it wasn’t for you helping me from the beginning, I wouldn’t understand Yukio nearly as well as I do now. Of course I was going to continue to trust you to help me care for Yukio, and you know if I trust Ulquiorra with _you,_ I would trust him with anyone else I care about as well.”

Ulquiorra smiled a bit more fondly toward his partner and Jushiro before his eyes turned down to the man cuddled into his side. “I am fond of Yukio. He has always been respectful, cautious even, about our strict limits, and that led me to trust him around Toshiro more quickly than I normally would. I also see how much joy his friendship brings Toshiro, and I could never make Toshiro feel that I at all disapproved of their bond,” he said, his tone still low but softer than usual.

Toshiro smiled brightly at the words, feeling, not for the first time, so appreciative of Ulquiorra. "Thank you, Ulqui," Toshiro murmured. Ulquiorra could have asked him to keep Yukio at a distance. Toshiro would have acquiesced. Ulquiorra could have remained distant himself. But he hadn't. He'd allowed the bond to grow between them and his uncle's partners, bringing them _all_ together as a very close-knit family. 

"Ja, danke, Ulquiorra," Yukio murmured, smiling warmly up at him, emerald eyes mostly clear and bright. "And I'm also very fond of both you and Toshiro. Thank you so much for today, for everything - even caring for me with the ice… I really appreciate you, Ulquiorra. I know I can trust you, that you can both take care of myself _and still_ care for Toshiro…" Yukio laughed lightly, saying, "Not that Toshiro is ever far from the center of your focus. I just feel honored to share that focus at all…"

Ulquiorra’s brow furrowed a bit in confusion at Yukio’s words. “Yukio, I was _responsible_ for you during the ice play session. Allowing myself to be distracted, even by my own partner, would have been careless. I was aware of Toshiro, yes, but at that time, he had only a small amount of my mental attention. Your well-being held most of my focus, and as long as I am confident that Toshiro is otherwise cared for, I will always give you the same undivided attention when it is my responsibility to care for you during a scene,” he said reassuringly.

Yukio blushed lightly, honestly touched by his words. Sometimes he still had a difficult time believing that any of these men could care about his well being like this - but the evidence was obvious, and Ulquiorra definitely took anything he saw as his responsibility seriously. And Ulquiorra didn't take responsibility for anyone without wanting to do so. "Danke, sir," Yukio whispered in response, still deeply respectful towards the quiet dominant - he doubted that would ever change, no matter how close and comfortable he felt with him. 

They sat in silence for a long while after that, Jushiro watching Yukio as he fully surfaced - or as much as he ever did - from subspace. As he looked over the other three, he realized Ulquiorra had the same focus on Toshiro, being sure that his partner surfaced properly. 

Ichigo shifted a bit, sliding down to rest his head on Jushiro’s stomach instead of his chest, cuddling into him but still feeling a bit restless. Finally, he sat up and turned to face the others. “So… is anyone else hungry?” he asked.

Jushiro laughed, fully and loudly, at Ichigo’s question. “Yes, Ichigo, I planned to go upstairs and cook when I was sure everyone was ready,” he replied, still chuckling a bit.

"I'm gut, Meister," Yukio said as Toshiro responded, "I'm good, uncle," practically in sync with one another. Both immediately laughed softly as they realized that they had done so, Toshiro squeezing Yukio's hand and Yukio squeezing back in response. 

Jushiro laughed at their simultaneous responses, leaning over to kiss them both on the forehead before moving to get off the bed. When he turned to be sure everyone was following, he smiled when he saw Ichigo requesting that he take Yukio from Ulquiorra. His expression turned a bit, though, when Yukio seemed hesitant, but realized the problem quickly. “Ichigo, will you hold off on carrying Yukio until we get upstairs? I’m sure he only wants to continue to hold Toshiro’s hand, and that would be rather difficult to do while walking up the stairs if you were carrying him,” Jushiro pointed out. 

Ichigo nodded, amber eyes locked with emerald as he asked, “Is that what you want, Yukio?”

Yukio blushed lightly, saying "Ja… I don't know why but… When I realized I'd have to lose contact with Toshiro completely for you to carry me… I felt uneasy… But I do love it when you carry me…"

Toshiro squeezed his hand a bit in reassurance, saying, "It doesn't seem odd to me, Yukio. We just did a scene together where we both were extremely vulnerable, directly supporting one another. To be honest, I feel more attached to you right now than usual as well. That feeling will likely linger with the resulting light subspace for a while - neither of us wants to abandon or feel abandoned by the other. I'm certain, Ichigo, that Yukio would love you sitting with him upon your lap and being close to you once we return to the living room - but we both need to maintain this contact for a while longer until we completely surface."

Yukio smiled, squeezing Toshiro’s hand - his friend always so wonderfully clear and thorough, explaining what Yukio just couldn't put into words - though his eyes remained locked on warm amber. "Is… that alright, Ichigo?" Yukio asked, still slightly torn between wanting to please his partner and his own need to remain connected to Toshiro right now. 

Ichigo nodded and closed the distance to kiss Yukio’s cheek. “It’s fine, Yukio. I guess now _I’m_ the one that needs to work on understanding you. Jushiro knew the problem immediately, and Toshiro… Well, Toshiro’s always understood you better than any of us,” he said with a light chuckle, his smile still bright as he averted his gaze to catch Toshiro’s bright teal eyes.

Toshiro smirked slightly, replying, "I do have the advantage of feeling similarly a great deal of the time. Even if you _can_ be submissive and experience subspace, you never seem to linger in that for long. But I'm sure you know how jarring it would feel to lose contact with uncle while in that state - our light subspace simply lasts longer, especially Yukio’s."

Ichigo’s smile dropped a bit as he considered what it _would_ feel like if Jushiro ever did lose contact with him while he was in subspace. While Toshiro was right - Ichigo never did fall quite as far as him or Yukio - even imagining being left alone while he was so vulnerable made him shiver a bit and look back to seek out Jushiro, who was still standing by the bed waiting for them. He had never left him, and Ichigo knew for certain he never would. “Yeah, you’re right. Not that I doubted you anyway,” he said, the constant joy returning immediately as he spoke to Toshiro. “I really don’t mind, Yukio. You can sit with me when we get upstairs,” he added with another kiss to Yukio’s cheek.

Yukio gave him a happy, relieved smile, saying brightly, "Danke, Ichigo - I'd like that."

Ichigo nodded and slid backward off the bed, standing next to Jushiro and placing an arm around the older man’s waist. “Love you, Jushiro,” he said quietly, nuzzling his nose into soft white hair before pressing a kiss to the silky strands.

“I love you, too, Ichigo,” Jushiro replied, turning into Ichigo’s kiss and catching his lips briefly. He strung an arm around Ichigo’s waist and led him toward the door that led down a short hallway to the stairs. 

Ulquiorra ushered the other two off the bed, pulling both of them as he moved to stand, being sure that Yukio was steady on his feet before releasing his hold on his waist. He kept his arm around Toshiro, though, as he led them to follow Jushiro and Ichigo, giving a small smile when he looked down to see Toshiro and Yukio’s joined hands. He didn’t express it often, but his partner’s happiness meant _everything_ to him. After everything he knew Toshiro had suffered, between his near-death experience as a child, his struggle with his sexual identity, and the actual abuse he had suffered because of it, Ulquiorra’s entire goal was to be sure that Toshiro was finally _happy._ And this family they had formed, with Jushiro bringing home partners who actually meshed well with the entire household, was making Toshiro happier than Ulquiorra had ever seen him. 

Toshiro led Yukio upstairs by the hand, the other submissive perfectly content with the contact. Ulquiorra sat on the couch, pulling him gently to lean against him, his arm around his waist and Toshiro smiled seeing Ichigo pull Yukio into his lap on his other side, Yukio’s grasp on his hand remaining firm and steady. Toshiro honestly couldn't be happier, smiling towards his uncle, forever grateful for taking him in all those years ago - and then for taking such good care of him, even now. 

He loved their family, feeling completely safe and loved. He had a strong, caring partner that understood him, a friend he could tease and play racquetball with, another friend who he considered a brother at this point with how close they were, and two father figures that completely supported him - even if one wasn't physically with them. He and Ulquiorra may have been saving money with the thought of needing to get their own place eventually. But really, Toshiro didn't want to even think of leaving. He'd rather stay, as close as possible to his family, for as long as he and Ulquiorra were welcome. 

Jushiro left the four on the couch, smiling to himself as he went to the kitchen to begin preparing dinner. He knew both Yukio and Ichigo were content with Toshiro and Ulquiorra, and if Yukio needed anything, he would likely drag Toshiro with him to ask, which in itself was an amusing thought. As he cooked, his thoughts wandered. 

He never could have predicted that things would have worked out this way. Never could have known that shy Yukio was even more interested in video games than his somewhat obsessed nephew. Never would have predicted that Ichigo would take to playing racquetball with Toshiro almost every day. Never could have imagined _Ulquiorra_ taking to Yukio the way he had, even holding him after the scene when he knew he could have realistically handed Yukio’s aftercare over to Toshiro and Yukio would have accepted and understood that. But it all worked so well, and seeing the four of them together made Jushiro feel like his family, which was very much unconventional, was finally complete.

When Shunsui left, there had been no tears, no hard feelings, just love and support for his best friend, but his absence had left a hole that Jushiro hadn’t recognized until it had been filled again. Yukio and Ichigo were everything he never could have even begun to ask for, and he was sure Shunsui would agree when he finally met them. He was absolutely certain that there wouldn’t be any jealousy or judgment, though… There would likely be some teasing and unfiltered comments that all three of them could live without. He knew as soon as Shunsui heard Yukio call Jushiro by his title, he wouldn’t be so outspoken as to tease _him,_ but Ichigo… he practically _asked_ for teasing, as Toshiro often took advantage of. It was sure to be an interesting time when Shunsui arrived next month.

Dinner finished, Jushiro called the others to the dining room, where they claimed their usual seats, which told him that Yukio had surfaced to the usual very light subspace he was in anytime he was at home. The meal was peaceful, light conversation filtering in as they ate, and when they were finished, Jushiro gave the task of cleaning to Yukio, knowing he actually did _enjoy_ being directed to do such things. It made him feel like he had a purpose and was pleasing his master, which he always did, and Jushiro was always sure to let him know he had done an exceptional job when he was finished - because he always did, never leaving even a small thing undone when he was assigned a task. 

With the kitchen cleaned and the house quiet for the night, Jushiro, Ichigo, and Yukio were settled in bed. Jushiro was massaging Ichigo’s shoulders as he lay in front of him, and Yukio was behind him, combing through his hair as he did every night, sometimes for _far_ longer than necessary. Jushiro didn’t mind, though, the feeling quite soothing for him. As he continued to massage Ichigo, he slipped a hand under the fabric of his shirt, kneading the muscles in his chest. He paused for a moment, though, when the action caused Ichigo to release a small, seemingly desirous whine and press his cheek into his arm. 

The seemingly innocent action had somehow caused heat to flood Ichigo’s body, and he looked up at Jushiro with darkened amber eyes all but begging for further attention. He took Jushiro’s hand from upon his chest and pulled it from beneath his shirt, bringing it to his lips to kiss the back of it, trailing more light kisses up to Jushiro’s wrist and forearm, pulling him down a bit as he did so.

Jushiro chuckled, allowing Ichigo to continue as he said, “Ichigo, I’m quite tired tonight, perhaps too tired to properly indulge you.” He saw the immediate disappointment in beautiful amber eyes and turned slightly to look back at Yukio, who had surely heard the exchange.

"Ahhhm… Ichigo…" Yukio addressed softly, a light blush upon his face as he leaned a bit to properly look at Ichigo. "I'm… not too tired…" Which had honestly been a bit of a reversal. Yukio hadn't done more with Ichigo other than exploring his body a bit more thoroughly and using his mouth to bring him pleasure, simply being too tired with dealing with finals the past two weeks. Now that all that was over, however… He couldn't deny that he wanted him more completely, even if saying the words felt embarrassing. 

Jushiro smiled, honestly glad to hear that Yukio was gaining back the energy he had lost in the last weeks of the semester. He laughed, though, when Ichigo reacted nearly immediately at Yukio’s words, sitting up and all but pinning Jushiro between the two of them as he reached for Yukio. He was being playful, obviously, not all that forceful and smiling as he reached over Jushiro’s shoulder to run his hand through Yukio’s hair. “Alright, let me get out of the way,” Jushiro insisted with a chuckle. He slid to the side, leaning against the headboard next to Yukio as Ichigo quite quickly took his place.

Ichigo wasted no time when Jushiro moved, wrapping his arms around Yukio and easily shifting him down the bed to lie flat under him. He leaned down to press light, hasty kisses over Yukio’s face. “Love you, my Yukio,” he murmured when he pulled away.

Yukio giggled at the attention and Ichigo's obvious enthusiasm, but his smile softened at his words, replying softly, "Love you, my Ichigo." He brought his hand up to cup Ichigo's cheek, feeling a mixture of deep gratitude and love for this man who had taken care of him for so long, most of that time without Yukio even realizing that's what he had been doing. 

Ichigo’s expression gained an impossible amount of warmth, but he still ducked his head beneath Yukio’s jawbone to litter kisses along his neck in the same haphazard manner, one hand sneaking beneath the hem of Yukio’s shirt to tease his fingers along the lean muscles underneath. His lips found their way back up to Yukio’s, and he captured the smaller man’s mouth, immediately swiping his tongue against his soft lips as a request to taste and explore.

Yukio yielded with a whimpered moan, Ichigo immediately claiming his mouth. He felt heat and desire flood his body, loving the feeling of being owned this way. He played with Ichigo's tongue as Ichigo coaxed him to, knowing that Ichigo enjoyed that more than complete surrender. His hands gripped tight to Ichigo's shoulders as the kiss became more heated. Ichigo was never truly rough with him, but passion burned in nearly every action he took and it was all Yukio could do to hold onto him, whimpers and moans being extracted from him expertly by his partner. 

Ichigo’s fervor only grew as Yukio reacted so freely to him, the hand under Yukio’s shirt wandering further up to reveal his small - but still incredibly beautiful - body. As much as Ichigo didn’t want to separate from Yukio’s sweet mouth, he did so for the sake of pulling his shirt off, tossing it blindly aside as he moved his attention down to press tender kisses to Yukio’s chest, saying between each one, “You’re just - so gorgeous - Yukio - so glad - you love me - and let me - have you this way.”

Yukio keened, arching into him, his body overloaded in pleasure. "Bitte… Ichigo…" he panted, not used to being driven so fast into pleasure but thoroughly enjoying it. "Want… you… _Please…_ Ichigo… My Ichigo…" 

Ichigo growled lowly into Yukio’s skin at the desperate tone. He withdrew to meet Yukio’s eyes, his own dark and dilated with hunger as he took in the image of Yukio already losing himself in pleasure under him. “Take my clothes off, Yukio. I want to feel your hands on me,” he instructed, a bit of command in his voice but much more pure desire.

"Ja…" Yukio moaned out, his fingers immediately finding the hem of Ichigo's shirt and swiftly removing it. His hands pressed against the revealed skin, trailing down to push down the soft pants he wore to bed, his mouth latching onto Ichigo's chest and trailing down as well as he moved. He wasn't able to remove Ichigo's clothes completely, under him as he was, but Ichigo kicked them off the rest of the way and Yukio busied himself getting lost in tasting his skin, leaning up into him, hands clutching Ichigo's toned back. 

Ichigo moaned as Yukio’s mouth explored his body, causing heat to rapidly flood his body. “Fuck, Yukio - that mouth,” he groaned out the words, only giving Yukio another moment before it was unbearable to continue to take it. Ichigo gently pulled away, pressing a hand to Yukio’s chest to push him back down to the bed. “I’m not going anywhere, just need you now,” he said, his voice low and husky. When Yukio settled, Ichigo pulled his pants and boxers off without much thought, running his hand down Yukio’s completely exposed body with admiring eyes following his hand’s path. 

Jushiro had already retrieved Yukio’s prep toy and lube from the drawer of the bedside table, handing it over to Ichigo when the other man turned to search for it. “Ichigo, you’ve never prepared Yukio before, but you have seen me do so. You need to be gentle with this, and don’t get impatient,” he instructed. As Ichigo took the toy, Jushiro looked to Yukio. “Yukio, do you want me to hold you against my chest while Ichigo prepares and takes you?” he asked gently. He honestly loved watching his two partners together, but more for the satisfaction of how much they clearly enjoyed it. He was very much able to keep his own calm, not affected much by just watching - very much the opposite of _both_ Ichigo and Yukio.

"Ja… Bitte… Meister…" Yukio groaned out, trying to catch his breath, darkened emerald eyes focusing on Jushiro, one hand reaching for his master while the other remained clutched against Ichigo’s back. He was still incredibly self conscious being completely exposed like this and being held by Jushiro sounded so comforting in this moment, as aroused as he otherwise was by Ichigo's actions. 

Jushiro took Yukio’s outstretched hand, pulling him to him and settling him against his chest, Yukio still lying on his back for Ichigo to continue. He ran a soothing hand through Yukio’s hair before dropping it to rest it on the smaller man’s chest, saying softly, “You will need to stay still for Ichigo, since he has never prepared someone this way before. Understand, love?”

"Ja, Meister," Yukio said, far calmer already being held by Jushiro though his arousal hadn't waned. "I'll keep still for Ichigo…" He grabbed Jushiro's hand, bringing it up to his cheek to nuzzle against it, saying, "Would you… stroke my hair?" He looked up at Jushiro, emerald eyes dark with desire. It was very difficult for him to keep his hips completely still when he was prepared and knew he'd have an easier time with some form of distraction, especially the comforting one that particular action always was. 

Jushiro caressed Yukio’s cheek lightly, giving him a soft smile. “Of course, Yukio. Whatever you need from me,” he replied, leaving his hand on Yukio’s cheek and bringing the other to bury in soft blonde hair, continually pulling his fingers through and watching as Yukio tangibly relaxed under his touch.

Yukio hummed, melting into the touch, the heat flooding his body becoming pleasant but something that he could ignore. "Danke, Meister," he said softly, his dark emerald eyes returning to lock with equally darkened amber. 

Ichigo had lubed the prep toy as Yukio settled against Jushiro, honestly a bit nervous to prepare Yukio this way but knowing that his partner wouldn’t allow it any other way. He nudged Yukio’s legs apart more, smiling when the other fully spread them, the blush coloring Yukio’s face completely sexy and adorable at the same time. He brought the toy to Yukio’s entrance, prodding a bit before pressing it in, moving slowly as he lightly thrusted it, moving it back and forth as he did so to stretch his body, moving in only a small bit with each motion and watching Yukio’s reaction the entire time to be sure that he was doing this correctly and not hurting him at all. He figured, with how slowly he was moving, there was no way he was, but he didn’t even want there to be a bit of discomfort.

Yukio moaned into the feeling, his breathing picking up again and nuzzling into Jushiro's hand to ground himself. He immediately wanted to move back against the toy but kept his hips still, his voice breathy as he said between increasingly labored breaths while Ichigo prepared him, "Gut… Ichigo… So gut… Want you… Bitte… Mein Ichigo…"

At Yukio’s free and ridiculously sensual reactions, Ichigo continued his pace, his hand trembling with the effort it took to maintain his own self-control. He intentionally avoided Yukio’s prostate as he delved the toy deeper, not wanting to drive him over the edge and _definitely_ not wanting to wait for him to recover before he took him. Because Ichigo really wanted Yukio _now._ With the toy seated fully inside Yukio’s body, Ichigo moved it back and forth gently, still attempting to keep from directly stimulating him. He stopped the motion completely for a moment and leaned down to kiss Yukio’s cheek, asking softly but with a clear amount of desire, “Are you ready for me, Yukio?”

"Ja, Ichigo - Bitte - Need you," Yukio panted, emerald eyes glassy but mostly with desire. His hand released Jushiro's, trembling as he cupped Ichigo's cheek, saying with clear need, "Mein Ichigo… Yours… _Please…"_

Ichigo pulled the toy from Yukio’s body, leaning into his hand on his cheek as he did. “Yes - my Yukio. And I’m yours,” he murmured, turning to kiss Yukio’s palm. He sat up just long enough to lube his own cock, making quick work of the task to not build his own pleasure too much. When he lowered himself back down to Yukio, he centered himself over him and didn’t hesitate to slowly press into him, a low groan escaping at the tightness of Yukio’s body. “Fuck - feels so good, Yukio - my Yukio,” the words spilled forth without thought.

Yukio had no real idea the sounds and partial words that escaped him, too caught up in feeling Ichigo slowly filling him. It was such a mixture of heated arousal and relief, especially that this was _Ichigo_ \- the friend he had been so tentative to allow himself to love. To have him finally claim his body this way was even more relieving than the sensation alone, causing him to gasp out as Ichigo finally became fully sheathed within him, "Mein Ichigo - Love you - So full - So gut - Yours - Always yours -" 

Ichigo gave a strangled moan as he stilled himself deep in Yukio’s body, nearly collapsing onto him when his arms began to shake at the sensation. “Love you - so much - always - my Yukio,” he panted in response. He leaned down to press his lips gently to Yukio’s, this man always bringing out every bit of tenderness buried beneath the usual energy Ichigo exuded. After a moment of their lips being in soft contact with one another, Ichigo breathed out a chuckle as he whispered against Yukio’s mouth, “You’ve stopped biting your lip so much. It’s healed up and smooth now.”

Yukio released a breathy laugh, saying, "My anxiety rarely surfaces now… You and Meister take such good care of me… And always remind me not to bite it the rare times I still do…"

“I’m glad, Yukio,” Ichigo murmured, parting his lips and groaning when Yukio mirrored the action, allowing him to again claim his mouth as he began to move within his body. His rhythm was slow and gentle at first, but as heat began to build beneath his skin, his actions were driven a bit faster, and a near-constant moan was trapped between their joined mouths.

Yukio met Ichigo's moan with one of his own, deciding immediately that nothing felt better than both his body and his mouth being claimed at the same time. Heat spiked and rose within him, his legs coming up to hook around Ichigo's hips, his body moving to meet each and every one of Ichigo's thrusts, the sounds coming from him increasing in pitch as he was driven steadily closer to his own release. 

Ichigo had to break away from Yukio’s mouth when he wrapped his legs around him, the feeling of Yukio moving with him pushing mind-numbing pleasure into his body. The _sounds_ Yukio was releasing were enough to have him holding back from his climax, a warning pulse of heat causing him to groan. “Yukio - going to come - going to fill you, my Yukio - please - let me feel you come,” he all but begged, his voice pinched in his throat as his body tightened to hold his own release back.

Yukio cried out, the sound nearly a scream, having been holding himself back instinctively and releasing as soon as he registered Ichigo's words. He clung to him, hands clutching his back, legs locked around his waist, pushing Ichigo as deep into himself as was possible. His hold on him remained through his strong aftershocks and he moaned brokenly at feeling Ichigo fill him, not remotely willing to let go as he whined out, "Mein… Ichigo… Mein…"

Ichigo’s entire body was on fire, his climax so powerful that he almost couldn’t hold himself up with Yukio clinging to him. His arms shook as the shockwaves tensed his muscles, the strong pulsing of Yukio’s body around him drawing out what was already a blinding amount of pleasure. After a moment, he knew he wasn’t going to be able to support himself, so he collapsed onto his side and rolled onto his back, holding Yukio to him, though it didn’t seem that he was loosening his grip on him anytime soon. 

Jushiro kept his hand steady in Yukio’s hair, reminding him of his presence as Ichigo pulled him away from him, not wanting Yukio to be at all discomforted by the movement. He smiled fondly at both of them, seeing clearly just how much they needed one another, Yukio’s arms and legs both still firmly locked around Ichigo’s body and Ichigo returning his embrace with strong arms around Yukio’s body.

Ichigo still couldn’t seem to catch his breath, but he insisted on pressing kisses to Yukio’s hair, not caring in the least when he caught Jushiro’s hand beneath his lips occasionally. “Love you - my Yukio - always - I’ve always loved you - mine - my Yukio,” he murmured between kisses. He reveled in the feeling of Yukio’s weight on top of him, reminding him that this was _Yukio_ he was with, _Yukio_ he was still buried deep inside. His Yukio. The man he had protected and cared for and _loved_ for far longer than either of them realized. 

Yukio gradually began to relax, his hold no longer clutching but still wrapped around Ichigo. "Ja, mein Ichigo… I'm yours… I'll always be your Yukio…" Yukio said softly, his breathing coming back under his control, his heart full of love but calming. He pressed repeated kisses against Ichigo’s chest, occasionally leaning into Jushiro's hand in his hair, feeling so impossibly loved and overwhelmingly happy. 

As both of them calmed, Jushiro leaned over to kiss Yukio’s hair and Ichigo’s cheek, asking softly, “Ichigo, would you like to take Yukio to the shower? I’ll be here waiting.”

Ichigo hummed a bit at the question, his breathing finally having come under his control and his heart rate mostly back to normal. “Yeah, we should. Yukio, would you like that?” he asked, running his hands slowly over Yukio’s back as he spoke.

"Ja…" Yukio breathed out, looking up to smile brightly at Ichigo before his gaze flickered to Jushiro, saying softly, "Danke, Meister."

Jushiro smiled and nodded, leaning over once more to kiss Yukio’s cheek. 

Ichigo hoisted himself up into a seated position with a grunt of effort, holding Yukio against him. “I’ll just carry you in there like this, so hold onto me,” he said, waiting to be sure Yukio was going to do so before sliding over to the edge of the bed. Yukio’s arms and legs stayed securely around him as he stood, supporting under Yukio’s thighs as he carried him to the attached bathroom. He reached into the shower to turn on the water, and as he waited for it to warm, he smiled down at Yukio. “You know… I really have loved you for a lot longer than I’ve owned up to,” he said with a small laugh.

Yukio looked up at him, emerald eyes bright, cocking his head slightly in obvious question. "What do you mean?" He asked, the fingers of his right hand absently stroking Ichigo's back as he held him securely. 

Ichigo chuckled again as he tested and adjusted the temperature of the water, stepping in when he was satisfied and standing beneath the flow of the water. “I’ve just been thinking since we _have_ been together… There’s no other word for how I felt about you when I decided to keep pestering you after we had that lab together. Why else would I have really cared that you were shy and obviously socially inept?” he teased, looking down to find emerald eyes staring up at him, Ichigo’s body blocking much of the spray from reaching Yukio’s face.

Yukio pouted, saying, "I wasn't _that_ bad - I managed to talk to you as my lab partner, after all…" He left out the fact that him doing so effectively had been rather gradual, slowly becoming more comfortable with Ichigo after being forced to work directly with him for three hours at a time every week. 

“You barely talked to me, and only because you knew you’d have to eventually,” Ichigo pointed out. He tilted his head up to allow the water to completely saturate his hair before abruptly turning around completely to let the water hit Yukio - who had all but remained dry as they entered the shower - and laughing when it seemed Yukio was taken a bit by surprise at the action.

Yukio gasped at the abrupt sensation, his eyes immediately closing and hair becoming drenched almost immediately. "Well… obviously I didn't mind you still stubbornly being around me, even after the class," Yukio grumbled out. "I really have no idea when I developed feelings for you… I had thought you were hot even that first day - which didn't help my nerves talking to you - but when we became friends, I had convinced myself so thoroughly that that was all you saw me as… I don't know, I probably had feelings for you for far longer too but I couldn't admit to them…"

“Oh, you thought I was hot, huh? Well, at first glance I thought you were cute,” Ichigo replied, turning so that the water hit their sides instead of it running over Yukio’s head. “But the more I looked at you, the more I loved your eyes, and the more I stared at your eyes, the more I realized that you were just beautiful. Of course, you didn’t notice all this staring I did because you never could look me in the eye. But that worked to my advantage because I got to stare at you whenever I wanted to,” he added with a bright smile.

Yukio blushed, burying his face against Ichigo’s chest, his grip on him tightening. "I'm not certain I'll ever get used to you and Meister praising my appearance that way," he said softly, a gentle warmth overflowing from his heart and flooding his small body. "And… Eventually I looked you in the eyes - all the time… Like with Meister, I had a hard time breaking eye contact when you spoke to me…"

Ichigo nodded. “I was pretty surprised when you started doing that, but I figured it was just because you were comfortable with me - _finally._ Somehow, though, you getting more comfortable with me and looking to me for comfort made me want to _not_ try to date you. Because I knew how all my other relationships went. We’d get physical, do that for a while, and then end up separating. I mean, a few of those guys are still my friends, but we’re not close at all. 

“Looking back, though, I should have known that not wanting to ruin what we had meant I was actually in love with you. I guess… love isn’t always sparks and fireworks. Sometimes it’s just… peace and comfort,” Ichigo said, his voice a bit distant as he recalled all the times he and Yukio had simply sat in the same room, Yukio cuddled into his side. It wasn’t what some people would call love, especially just at the start of a relationship, but Ichigo had come to realize that was exactly what love was sometimes - just _being with_ someone, and cherishing every moment together.

"If that's what love is sometimes…" Yukio said softly, looking up towards him, emerald eyes soft and fond, "Then I really have loved you since we began spending time together outside of class… Because, from then on, I always felt that way with you…"

Ichigo bent down a bit to lower Yukio to his feet, still keeping his arms around him. “We could’ve loved each other like that forever and I would’ve been happy. What we just did - what we’ve been doing - is really just extra. And you know if _I’m_ saying that, I really was in love with you, because I wouldn’t have ever thought that about any of my other partners,” he said with a chuckle. 

Yukio giggled, "Unfortunately, I know that _far_ too well." He smiled then, saying, "I would have been happy too. I was so happy and relieved when you wanted to live together - I never wanted to be without you. Even if you continued having other relationships, I only wanted to be able to be with you as we were. I love this, I love being with you physically, showing you affection openly. I love our relationship with Meister. But had you decided differently that day Meister invited us home - I would have gone with you, and I would have been happy."

Ichigo shook his head, though he was still smiling. “You might have been happy, but not _this_ happy. Hell, _I_ wouldn’t have been this happy. We wouldn’t have known what we were missing out on, but when I first met Jushiro I knew it was at least worth it to give him a chance. It was obvious that _he_ loved _you,_ and he really is the nicest person I’ve ever met, so who was I to say no to him?” he said with a quiet laugh.

Yukio sighed, his voice fond, "He really is, isn't he? He never once considered breaking us apart since he met you. He included you in every conversation he wanted to have with me… And then he took us both in, as part of his family, as equal partners. I'm so grateful for him - for bringing us _all_ together like this…"

“We really do owe him a lot, but knowing him he’d never think we owed him anything,” Ichigo replied, bending the distance to kiss the top of Yukio’s head. “Let’s get cleaned up now,” he added, removing only one arm from around Yukio to reach back for a loofah and soap. He stepped away from the spray, pulling Yukio with him, and lathered soap into the loofah, placing back the soap before beginning to wash Yukio’s body, starting at his shoulders. “Is it alright if I do this for you? I’ve never done this before, but it kinda just feels right to wash you,” he said, laughing lightly.

"Ja, 'course, Ichigo. I love it when you take care of me," Yukio said, smiling happily. "I could do the same for you… Ahhm… If you wanted…"

Ichigo returned Yukio’s bright smile and nodded. “Yeah, of course,” he replied, continuing to thoroughly clean Yukio’s body. He smiled when he realized Yukio was actually relaxing into the attention, always loving gentle physical contact. When Ichigo was finished, he rinsed the loofah and reached for the shampoo, applying only a small amount as he knew how fine Yukio’s hair was. As he worked it into a lather, he slowed his hands to massage Yukio’s scalp, from the top of his head to the back of his neck, loving how Yukio leaned into the touch. 

He truly didn’t want to stop, but he eventually ushered Yukio back under the water, pressing down a bit to direct him to tilt his head down to rinse his hair. He ran his hands through Yukio’s hair a few times, being sure that the water was rinsing clean, before pulling him back out of the spray and placing only two fingertips under his chin to bring bright emerald eyes up to him. He smiled at the absolute joy in those eyes he had always loved. “Love you so much, my Yukio,” he murmured, the volume of his voice only barely over the splash of water on the tile.

Yukio smiled, his expression completely fond as he said, "Love you, mein Ichigo. Now, my turn to take care of you." He grabbed the loofah and the soap, working it into a lather before thoroughly washing Ichigo's hard, defined body. They were such opposites, Ichigo's body being everything Yukio found gorgeous and sexy. Jushiro was beautiful but his physique wasn't _that_ far off of Ichigo's, just leaner. He still had no idea what they saw in him but he supposed it didn't matter. _They_ loved him - and his body - and really, that's what mattered. He took his time, every touch gentle and reverent, so thankful that Ichigo allowed this of him. 

Ichigo watched as Yukio washed him, quite taken with the unexpected amount of reverence in his touch and the way he looked at him. He allowed Yukio to take his time, drinking in his attention and just how much he obviously loved him. These were the things that were just… _absent_ from Ichigo’s previous relationships - the tender touches and the vast amount of _care_ that both of his partners gave him now. Not that he ever regretted how he handled romance before, because it worked for him at the time, but now he wouldn’t be able to revert back to a purely carnal relationship with either of these men. He would always _love_ them, no matter what they gave him in return.

When Yukio finished with Ichigo's body, he looked up at his hair, frowning a bit in contemplation. Unfortunately, he was just too short to actually be able to wash his partner's hair comfortably without Ichigo bending or kneeling awkwardly in some way. "Ahhhm… Ichigo…" Yukio said a bit tentatively, "If you hold me like before, I can wash your hair too…" He didn't elaborate on the height problem, figuring that would be obvious. 

Ichigo laughed fully at that, almost immediately scooping Yukio into his arms, Yukio’s legs automatically wrapping around his waist. Ichigo reached for the shampoo and offered it to Yukio, still chuckling a bit as he said, “I was going to say Jushiro needs a bench in here so you could sit down while I wash you, but I guess you could use it to stand on while you wash either of our hair, too.”

Yukio giggled, taking the shampoo and beginning to massage it into Ichigo's sunset orange hair, commenting, "Or you two could sit on the bench and I could easily reach even Meister's hair while standing. But I don't mind you holding me," Yukio said, kissing Ichigo's nose and releasing another giggle. 

Ichigo laughed lightly at Yukio’s actions, but the sound turned to a contented hum as Yukio massaged his scalp. “We _could_ sit and make it easier on you. But I think it would be adorable to see you having to stand on a bench to reach our hair. You’d have to do it just once,” he insisted teasingly. 

Yukio looked at him in apparent exasperation, though his hands continued their firm, thorough massage, "Would I now? I bet Meister would sit down for me…"

“Oh, would I just not get my hair washed that day, then?” Ichigo asked, feigning a bit of offense.

Yukio blushed, saying softly, "Of course not... If you _really_ wanted me to, I'd stand on the bench to wash your hair… I like being able to take care of you - you always do so much for me…" 

“I just think it would be cute. And you know Jushiro actually enjoys it when I tease you, as long as he’s sure my comments aren’t actually hurting you. Just like he lets Toshiro tease me all the time. And I don’t see you saying anything about _that_ when Toshiro gets in a teasing mood,” Ichigo said matter-of-factly.

Yukio giggled, shaking his head, "You both clearly enjoy it, why would I say anything?" 

“I don’t expect you to. Just don’t expect Jushiro to do anything but laugh when I want you to stand on a bench to wash my hair, either,” Ichigo countered.

Yukio huffed slightly, "You really think it'd be cute? I'd look ridiculous…"

Ichigo leaned forward the small bit to kiss Yukio’s nose, just as he had to him, before saying, “Everything you do is cute. After all, you never have been able to deny that you’re cute.”

"That's all anyone ever thought of me, though… Except you and Meister…" Yukio murmured. He was really done with his task but continued to massage Ichigo's hair until he decided to step back into the spray of warm water. 

Ichigo hummed a bit as Yukio continued to massage, but with a heavy sigh he finally stepped back to rinse his hair, feeling Yukio’s hands still moving within it to be sure it was free of shampoo. He put Yukio down again to be sure they were both well rinsed before turning the water off and reaching out for a towel. He unfolded it and draped it around Yukio’s shoulders, taking an edge and beginning to dry him. “I’d assume this is alright to do, too,” he murmured, not looking up from his task.

Yukio hummed, nodding, "Ja… Feels nice…"

Ichigo smiled, glancing up at Yukio’s face just long enough to take in how content he was before returning his gaze to the path of the towel he was running across Yukio’s skin. Yukio really was perfect in Ichigo’s eyes. His skin was flawless, and he was leanly toned in a way that accentuated his small frame. And while he _was_ small, he was also gorgeous with bright green eyes that caught anyone’s attention who looked at him, even more so when his hair was braided for the night and both were visible. Really, his size never was an issue for Ichigo, either. Yukio was petite in a way that made Ichigo _want_ to hold him - all the time. And now he finally could. 

When he had finished the process of drying him, including towel drying his hair as well as he could, Ichigo tossed the wet towel out to the hamper before grabbing a fresh one. He started to dry himself without thinking, but stopped when he caught Yukio’s eyes. “You want to do this for me, too, don’t you?” he asked with a smile.

Yukio grinned, "Mostly - you'll have to do your hair as I'm missing a bench," he responded with a giggle. 

Ichigo laughed and quickly ran the towel over his hair, scrubbing a bit to make sure most of the water was absorbed before handing the towel to Yukio. “There, shortie, you can do the rest now,” he said, amber eyes as bright as his smile as he looked down at Yukio and fought back from laughing. 

Yukio took the towel, a very unimpressed look on his face, saying, "I'm half tempted to make you air dry, but I'll be the _bigger_ man here." He began to dry off Ichigo's gorgeous body, his actions immediately becoming as reverent and gentle as before, even with the slight teasing. 

Ichigo chuckled a bit at Yukio’s comment, but turned thoughtful as he mused, “I wonder what would have happened if I had called Toshiro ‘shortie’ the first time we met him. Maybe I should try it sometime while we’re playing racquetball. Not here. Ulquiorra would kill me.”

Yukio laughed brightly, responding, "He would. But if you did so at racquetball - one, Toshiro would have a racquet, and two, I wouldn't get to see him whack you over the head with it."

Ichigo spluttered out a laugh, but still managed to say, “I don’t think he could reach my head, even with a racquet.”

"Uh hu, sure… I'm definitely coming with you to racquetball practice from now on. I can watch through the glass wall, see how valid that hypothesis is," Yukio said, grinning. 

“No, you know what Toshiro would do, because he’s much more subtle than actual assault, is he would set up a shot that led to me getting hit square in the face. _That’s_ what he would do. He’d be all calm and cool about it and act like he didn’t care that I called him shortie, then I’d end up with a black eye,” Ichigo figured.

Yukio giggled, not contradicting his assessment at all. "I'm still coming. I don't have class at that time anymore anyway. It'd be nice to watch you both play. And I'll bring a first aid kit, just in case I need to tend to your eye."

“Black eye, broken nose, whatever it is. Hell, fractured ribs. He could _accidentally_ swing his racquet back and hit me with it. I am usually behind him. And if he was really trying, out of undue malice, it would definitely hurt. He’s not weak,” Ichigo replied.

"Undue?" Yukio questioned with a smirk, placing the towel in the hamper, his task of drying Ichigo complete. 

“Okay, fine, I guess it would be worth it. But I’ll take a bruise to see his face if I ever do it,” Ichigo insisted. He scooped Yukio into a bridal carry and leaned down to kiss his cheek. “Let’s see if Jushiro actually managed to stay awake while we were showering,” he said, his voice taming from the teasing tone he had been holding onto for much of the time they had been alone.

Yukio nodded, turning his head to kiss and nuzzle into Ichigo's chest. 

Ichigo carried Yukio back into the bedroom, where Jushiro was still awake, sitting where he had been before Ichigo had interrupted Yukio combing his hair. Jade eyes watched fondly as Ichigo helped Yukio back into his sleep clothes before dressing himself as well. 

Ichigo collapsed across the bed in front of Jushiro, smiling up at him. He reached up to place a gentle hand on Jushiro’s cheek, his expression softening as Jushiro nuzzled his cheek into his palm. “You look tired,” Ichigo commented, noting how heavy his partner’s eyelids seemed and how his smile didn’t quite brighten his eyes the way it normally did.

“I am, but I wanted to allow Yukio to braid my hair and braid his for him before I went to sleep,” Jushiro replied, turning only his eyes to Yukio as he remained in place to let Ichigo keep his hand on his cheek.

Yukio crawled across the bed to sit behind Jushiro again, having heard the comment that his brain interpreted as a command. He picked up the comb and ran it through the long, snowy white locks, making sure there were no knots before beginning the braid. "Danke, Meister," Yukio said softly, becoming engrossed in the task of carefully and gently braiding Jushiro's fine hair, the action so familiar before rest that he felt _himself_ becoming a bit more tired. 

Jushiro hummed at the familiar feeling of Yukio so skillfully and carefully braiding his hair, forcing his eyes to stay open at risk of dozing off before Yukio was finished. “You’re welcome, Yukio,” he murmured in response to the quiet thanks. Really, Jushiro knew that Yukio had become highly accustomed to doing this for him, having done it nearly every night since the two of them had agreed to live with him, and _not_ doing so would have likely caused him a bit of an unsettling feeling of something _missing_ from his usual routine. Jushiro didn’t want to braid it himself and then fall asleep, because he knew he would wake to Yukio seeming a bit… _off,_ which was really the only way Yukio would have likely been able to describe it. They had developed such a predictable structure to their days - at least the parts that _could_ be planned - and Jushiro did everything he could to keep that structure intact for Yukio whenever possible.

Yukio hummed sleepily himself, binding the end of the braid before automatically crawling over to face Jushiro comfortably - Ichigo sitting up from where he was lying in front of Jushiro to allow him the space - and waiting for him to braid his own hair as had become their routine and smiling softly. 

Jushiro returned Yukio’s smile, picking up the comb and pushing the fine blonde hair - which was already dry - back from his face to prepare to braid it. He always loved seeing Yukio’s entire face unobscured by the hair that always fell over his left eye. He would never make Yukio wear his hair a certain way or ask him to push it aside, but he always would think Yukio was only more beautiful with both eyes exposed and his entire face visible. Jushiro began his task, his fingers a bit clumsy with the sleep that was quickly encroaching in his mind. “I apologize, love. This may not end up being the neatest braid I’ve ever done,” he said with a chuckle.

Yukio's expression softened, responding, "I don't mind, Meister. It will secure behind my ear anyway. I just love that you want to be the one to do this for me…"

Jushiro finished the braid, which didn’t take much time with how little of Yukio’s hair was long enough to reach, and secured it before leaning forward to wrap his arms around Yukio’s shoulders and pulling him into his lap, holding him against his chest. “Of course, Yukio. I love taking care of you in any way I can,” he whispered, tilting his chin down to kiss the top of Yukio’s head. He kept his hold on Yukio as he shifted to slide under the blankets, lying down on his side and giving a content sigh, always loving how Yukio fit so perfectly against him with his back flush with Jushiro’s chest.

Ichigo crawled to Yukio’s other side, joining them under the covers and cuddling into Yukio, kissing his forehead. He curled himself around Yukio’s body as well as he could, fondly amused by the fact that Yukio seemed to sleep _extremely_ well surrounded by the two of them and all but unable to move. It was how they had slept the very first night they had stayed, and that was one thing that hadn’t changed.

Yukio hummed in peaceful contentment between them, loving the feeling of both holding him in some way. "Love you, mein Ichigo, Meister… Gute nacht…" He murmured, his voice already thick with sleep. 

“Night. Love you, my Yukio. Love you, Jushiro,” Ichigo replied, nuzzling his nose into Yukio’s forehead and closing his eyes, always falling asleep quickly with his Yukio so close to him. 

“Good night, love. Sleep well. I love you both so much,” Jushiro said, his mind so close to sleep already that he barely had the consciousness to reach back and turn off the lamp on the bedside table. 

He never had thought he’d had difficulty sleeping until he had begun to sleep so easily with Ichigo and Yukio with him. He still couldn’t explain it. Perhaps there was just something missing. Something he hadn’t noticed until all the pieces had finally come into place. He could have never imagined those pieces would come in the form of these two men, but he supposed… Love didn’t always come the way one imagined. 

With his life having been so harmonious before he met Yukio, Jushiro didn’t think that introducing more pieces to a puzzle that already seemed complete would have possibly brought peace. But, just because he could _see_ the picture didn’t mean it was finished. Ichigo and Yukio were the final two pieces - the ones that brought the entire image into sharper focus, adding beautiful details and connections Jushiro could have never imagined existed. 

And now they _all_ fit perfectly together.


	2. Eta

It was the middle of June, the weather was warm, and Jushiro had spent the last week with his mind a bit scattered preparing for a visit from his best friend. It wasn’t usually such a production, since it was more like he was coming home than anything else. But with Ichigo and Yukio meeting Shunsui for the first time, Jushiro had been nearly constantly spouting seemingly random comments about Shunsui’s mannerisms as he remembered just how unfiltered and casual he really was. Of course, he had told Shunsui about Ichigo and Yukio, and he had only been happy for him.  _ Still…  _ Jushiro knew that speaking to him on the phone was sure to be tamer than having him staying at the house for an entire week.

Jushiro had already tactfully warned Shunsui of Yukio’s 24/7 TPE role, which he knew his former partner would take very seriously. He may have been bluntly honest and quite a bit of a tease, but he wasn’t going to overstep and actually hurt Yukio - even accidentally. If anything, Jushiro very much expected Shunsui to take Yukio under his wing a bit, much like Toshiro had. Protectiveness and gentleness seemed to be something Yukio brought out in most anyone who understood him, and Jushiro was confident that Shunsui wouldn’t be any different. 

Ichigo, on the other hand, had been warned to brace for what was likely to be an excessive amount of teasing - and  _ not  _ the kind of teasing he endured from Toshiro. Jushiro could only hope Shunsui wouldn’t embarrass Ichigo  _ too  _ much. As seemingly unaffected as Ichigo seemed to sexual conversations, Shunsui was likely to take it to a level Jushiro was much too polite to escalate to himself. He was sure Toshiro recalled some less-than-refined dinner conversations when Shunsui had been living with them. 

It wasn’t even that Shunsui was  _ rude.  _ He simply didn’t believe in the concept of privacy. To him,  _ speaking  _ of something didn’t mean a breach of privacy. They were only words. It wasn’t as though someone was actually  _ watching  _ them do the things he talked about. So, Jushiro was sure to warn both Ichigo and Yukio that when he had said before that  _ no  _ topic would be off-limits, he  _ meant  _ it. 

And he was still repeating those warnings as the three of them sat on the couch at home, waiting for Shunsui to arrive. He had insisted on renting a car instead of being picked up from the airport, saying there was no sense in inconveniencing them. Really, that was only a partial advantage, because it gave Jushiro more time to watch the clock awaiting his arrival. “Shunsui always has been a bit embarrassing, even for me. If he asks about anything  _ we’ve  _ done, don’t feel at all obligated to answer. He’s really only curious - he doesn’t mean to be rude,” Jushiro was saying as he ran his hand through Yukio’s hair, for both Yukio’s comfort and his own. 

Yukio had been even more attached to Jushiro in the past week than usual, likely reading his anxiety even though he tried to mask it as much as possible. Jushiro was grateful for Yukio’s insight, but also felt a bit guilty, hoping his own minor stress wasn’t negatively affecting his sweet submissive. 

“You’ve told us that a thousand times, Jushiro. If he was your partner for so long, I’m sure he can’t be at all  _ bad  _ about anything, because I don’t think you would have taken it,” Ichigo pointed out from next to him. He was running a hand lightly over Yukio’s legs that were spread across his lap, leaning into Jushiro’s side with the older man’s arm around him.

Jushiro chuckled. “I suppose you’re right. I just know his enthusiasm is going to be quite renewed by having two  _ new  _ people to talk to. There’s no telling what he’s going to say and when, honestly,” he said amusedly.

"I doubt it will be all that different than listening to Ichigo, honestly," Yukio commented with a giggle, cuddling into Jushiro to give him some comfort. He had obviously been nervous about Ichigo and himself meeting his friend all week and he'd tried his best to calm his Meister with his presence, as Jushiro always did for him. He wasn't all that concerned because, like Ichigo, he didn't believe that anyone so close to Jushiro or Toshiro could really be a bad person. And  _ listening _ to any conversation would be fine for him, as long as Shunsui didn't try to pull him into participating in it, which he truly didn't believe the man would do. 

Jushiro sighed, smiling down at Yukio. “I suppose  _ I  _ haven’t heard of Ichigo’s prior relationships - he’s been rather quiet about them when talking to me - so I don’t know to what extent you suffered, love,” he said with a light laugh.

"He's always been more of an 'in the present' person," Yukio said fondly. "I only had to endure him talking about his partners and what they did together when they were actually together, which usually wasn't all that long. Then he really wouldn't bring them up again. He would just get excited and feel the need to share," Yukio said, giggling again and grinning at Ichigo. 

Ichigo laughed and patted Yukio’s leg. “Hey, I had to tell someone, and you were the only person I actually hung out with much other than whoever I was dating. I mean, if I wasn’t out with someone, I was in your dorm room,” he pointed out. 

Yukio nodded, "I know. Which is why I only teasingly complained but didn't really mind that you did it."

Jushiro chuckled a bit, but was startled when the doorbell rang. He gave a heavy sigh and shifted Yukio to Ichigo’s lap instead so he could answer. He was actually surprised Shunsui hadn’t just walked in without invitation. By the time he had crossed the living room to the front door, though, he couldn’t help the smile that had seemed to involuntarily curve his lips. Shunsui was still his best friend, and it really was always good to see him, even if he was - probably unduly - anxious about this particular visit. 

When he opened the door, his smile only brightened upon seeing Shunsui, who looked just as worn out as he always did after the long trip to visit. “It’s good to see you, Shunsui,” Jushiro greeted him, his smile never fading.

"Jushiro," Shunsui said with a grin, dropping his bags rather carelessly to pull Jushiro into a hug. "That flight never gets easier, I'm so glad to be back." Shunsui released him, looking his old friend up and down before saying, "You look better than last time I was here. I mean, you've always looked good but there's something different… Those boys haven't worn you out, hu? Or maybe that's why you seem so much more relaxed," Shunsui remarked with a smirk. 

Jushiro chuckled and shook his head. “Worn me out? You and I aren’t  _ that  _ old, Shunsui. Though, admittedly, Ichigo is a bit of a handful at times,” he replied, glancing over his shoulder at the two on the couch. When he turned back, he reached for Shunsui’s bags. “Come in, sit down. I’m sure you’ve been sitting plenty on the flight, but it has to feel better to actually sit somewhere comfortable,” he commented as he gathered the luggage and brought it inside.

"Jet lagged too," Shunsui said, taking off his shoes and coat, stowing them out of the way with practiced motions. "It'll most likely be an early night for me. But I definitely need to meet these two partners of yours. What are we having for dinner anyway? I didn't buy anything at the airport - I refuse to endorse such theft. Five U.S. dollars for a bottle of water? And they wanted ten for a beer. That's the real reason they don't let you bring food past security, I'm sure of it…"

Jushiro laughed as he put Shunsui’s luggage out of the way toward the hallway where the bedrooms were. “Don’t worry, Shunsui, I’ll be cooking soon. I also made sure to have your favorite sake - I actually went to the restaurant we love so much and bought two bottles so it would last the week,” he said. He took Shunsui by the shoulders and pulled him into the living room. “This is Ichigo,” he introduced him when they were close enough.

Ichigo gave a small wave and a bright smile. “I would get up and shake your hand, but I don’t want to make Yukio move,” he said with a chuckle. 

Shunsui waved him off, saying, "Don't move. I won't be insulted - propriety was always more of Jushiro's thing. I'm Shunsui, though I'm certain both Jushiro and lil' Shiro already warned you heavily about me by now -" Shunsui looked back to Jushiro, asking, "Where is 'Shiro, by the way? He's usually here when I arrive." 

Jushiro glanced toward the hallway, saying, “He’s here. Surely he heard the doorbell, but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if you went and got him from his room. Honestly, he’s been even more obsessed with video games since he’s had Yukio to watch and play them with him.”

Shunsui sat in the loveseat, saying, "If he's here I'm sure he'll be out soon, there's no need to rush him at all." He focused on Ichigo and Yukio, smiling, his eyes coming to rest on Yukio as he said, "You must be Yukio, then. You enjoy video games?" 

"Ahhm… Ja, I do," Yukio responded, his voice soft and a bit uncertain but he otherwise remained relaxed. 

"Never was great at them myself but I often played the N64 with 'Shiro when he was little. Well, younger," Shunsui said with a chuckle. "I managed to get one with several games at a garage sale. He's been hooked to gaming ever since. I thought that'd be a bit more social than him constantly reading all the time but he still didn't make any close friends. Till you, Yukio. Even Ichigo. He talks about you both often, like someone would about their friends. It's been such a nice change."

Yukio blushed lightly, nodding and giving Shunsui a small smile. 

Jushiro stepped to the couch and sat next to Ichigo, habit leading him to put an arm around Ichigo’s shoulders and bring his other hand to comb his fingers through Yukio’s hair. “Having Yukio and Ichigo here has been good for all of us. Even Ulquiorra has opened up to them quite a bit, though I think he still scares Ichigo every so often,” he said with a chuckle.

“He doesn’t  _ scare  _ me - at least not anymore. I mean, seriously, when we first met I was pretty sure he didn’t even talk, and he always looked at me like he was considering the best way to murder me in my sleep,” Ichigo defended himself.

Shunsui laughed, saying, "Weren't you flirting with 'Shiro just before that? You're lucky Ulquiorra  _ didn't  _ talk to you."

“Hey, Toshiro didn’t tell me he wasn’t single. And that death glare lasted  _ far  _ longer than just that day. The first time he even let me touch Toshiro, he threatened me, I swear. I mean, it wasn’t an open threat, but I could hear it in his voice,” Ichigo replied, sulking a bit.

Shunsui just smiled saying, "Good. I think Juu and I are both happy with how protective Ulquiorra is of 'Shiro, considering what happened before. Juu won't tell me who the guy was that used his dynamic like that, and I don't want to know. If I'd been here at the time, kid would have been lucky to wake up in a hospital," Shunsui said, the smile dipping, his dark eyes gaining a dangerous glint. He grinned immediately, so fast it was difficult to know if the other expression had even happened, saying brightly, "So don't be upset if I'm only proud that he threatened you."

Ichigo chuckled a bit. “I’m sure no one’s told Ulquiorra who did it, either, because if he found out somehow I’m sure we’re living with a murderer. He probably is lucky Jushiro was the only other person here,” he said, amused but also entirely serious. Between Shunsui’s dark reaction and Ulquiorra’s general harsh personality, it was definitely fortunate that Jushiro had been the one Toshiro had gone to.

“Well, I wasn’t exactly kind to him - neither you nor Yukio have ever seen me legitimately angry - but you’re right. I wouldn’t have ever laid a hand on the boy,” Jushiro admitted. 

"Juu's always been far too nice," Shunsui said with a sigh, smiling fondly towards Jushiro. 

"You didn't see him that day, Shunsui," Toshiro said, walking into the living room with Ulquiorra. "I had  _ never _ seen uncle legitimately angry before. I've actually seen him a handful of times since then. He doesn't even look at me." Toshiro came to stand in front of Shunsui, looking at him with a mixture of resignation and expectation. 

Shunsui grinned, tugging Toshiro to sit sideways on his lap, hugging him tightly as he said, "I've missed you, 'Shiro. You've missed me too, yes? Admit it." 

Toshiro chuckled, not even trying to escape as he rolled his eyes, saying, "Yes, I've missed you too, Shunsui." 

"You haven't grown again since last year. I think you're just going to be this small, 'Shiro," Shunsui stated, still hugging him tightly. 

Toshiro huffed a bit, "Likely. At least I'm not the only one my size in the family anymore." Toshiro smiled at Yukio, the blonde giggling softly and nodding. 

"Just means you're easy to cuddle. You don't mind, Ulquiorra, do you? I promise to return him to you in good condition," Shunsui said with a grin, looking towards Toshiro's partner. 

Ulquiorra shook his head as a response, sitting next to Shunsui on the loveseat, pressed a bit to the arm to keep a bit of distance between them. Not that he had anything against Shunsui, but he really only knew him from the last couple of visits he had made, along with countless phone calls. He knew the older man certainly wouldn’t be insulted. He wasn’t even sure that Shunsui  _ could  _ be offended by people he actually liked.

Jushiro smiled at Shunsui and Toshiro, very much amused by just how exasperated Toshiro looked being held the way he was. It was true - Toshiro hadn’t grown much at all since he was sixteen, and even then it was only a small growth spurt. Jushiro then turned to Yukio, moving his hand from within his hair to cup his cheek. “Will you be alright here with Ichigo while I prepare dinner, love?” he asked quietly.

"Ahhm, I'd like to help you, Meister, if I may?" Yukio asked, his voice just as quiet. Jushiro seemed much more relaxed but he couldn't help but want to remain with him. And Jushiro had been showing him how to cook since the semester had ended. Yukio honestly enjoyed it. Yukio realized he wasn't a very creative cook, but when he knew a recipe and could follow it, he actually liked cooking. Doing so with Jushiro though was far more enjoyable. 

“Of course, love,” Jushiro replied, leaning in to kiss Yukio’s forehead. He took Yukio’s hand and pulled him from Ichigo’s lap, Ichigo holding onto him just long enough to kiss the top of his head before releasing him. Jushiro helped Yukio to his feet, and when he was steady, he looked to the three on the loveseat, saying politely, “Yukio and I will be in the kitchen if you need us,” the comment more aimed toward Toshiro than anyone else.

Toshiro nodded, watching them leave before turning to Shunsui, saying rather sternly, "If you start grilling Ichigo about anything sexually related to my uncle, I'm going back to my room." 

Shunsui grinned, saying, "I've got all week to do that. Besides, that's far more fun with Juu actually in the room." 

Ichigo chuckled, relaxing into the back of the couch and leaning his elbow on the arm. “It’ll be far more fun with Yukio in the room, too. He’s super easily embarrassed. I used to talk about my relationships all the time in front of him,” he said amusedly.

"Oh? And what,  _ exactly,  _ would you tell him?" Shunsui asked with a grin. 

Ichigo’s eyes widened a bit and he felt heat creeping to his cheeks. “Nothing I’d say with Toshiro and Ulquiorra in the room. I wouldn’t want to make them uncomfortable,” he insisted in a rather hasty tone, backpedaling a bit from what was sure to be more than he planned to tell someone he had  _ just  _ met.

"Later, then," Shunsui said, giving Ichigo a wink. "I need to know what level of detail lil Yukio has been exposed to, I wouldn't want to traumatize him. Anyway - anything you want to ask me, Ichigo? We've haven't talked much directly. For some reason Shiro would never put me on speaker. Juu either." 

Ichigo laughed, “I really need you to call Yukio ‘lil Yukio’ to his face at some point. And Jushiro has been warning us about how unfiltered you are for a week - I think that’s probably why he doesn’t want to put you on speaker. Not that  _ I  _ care, but I’m sure he wanted to guard poor Yukio for as long as possible. Surely Yukio suffered enough hearing me for over a year. I’ll honestly probably just be laughing at how red Yukio’s face will get when you do start talking, especially if it’s about Jushiro, because we’ve both been with him in some way or another by now, so he’ll have a visual to go along with what you’re saying.”

Toshiro sighed, sending a very unamused look at Ichigo, saying, "I'll leave the room if  _ you _ discuss my uncle in a sexual manner as well."

Ichigo held back a laugh, shaking his head. “Hey, I didn’t say anything in detail. In fact, that was the  _ definition  _ of vague,” he countered.

"Yes, far too vague. You'll have to clarify what you meant by 'some way or another' - though later," Shunsui said with a chuckle at Toshiro's look. 

Ichigo couldn’t help but laugh at the warning glance Toshiro had thrown Shunsui. “Yes, later. Though, there’s not really a way we  _ haven’t -” _

“Ichigo,” Ulquiorra warned, his tone flat but purely commanding, piercing emerald eyes boring into amused amber. Toshiro wasn’t the only one who didn’t want to hear of their private activities, and Ulquiorra was well aware that Ichigo would continue intentionally walking that fine line between vague and too specific just to pester Toshiro.

“Fine, fine. Later,” Ichigo agreed, backing down at Ulquiorra’s tone.

Toshiro smiled gratefully at his partner. As fun as teasing back and forth with Ichigo was, Toshiro really didn't want to know any such details regarding his uncle. He didn't mind either Ichigo or Yukio asking him questions about anything sexual in general, or even playful teasing, it just made him uncomfortable to hear about Jushiro that way. 

Shunsui hadn't been all that censored but he usually kept what he said around him more generalized. Even though, logically, Toshiro knew that at the time he had to be talking about things he had either done or wanted to do with Jushiro as he hadn't had any other partner. They had met several people in the community but both had agreed early on to not include anyone else in actual play. Toshiro eventually figured out that part of that decision had been because of him, to keep his life as stable and normal as possible - which was also why Jushiro and Shunsui had kept play to the room downstairs and banned him from entering the room until he was older. 

Toshiro was actually grateful for that, had grown up with a very stable home environment. But when he'd become old enough that most boys would start becoming sexually active in some way, Shunsui had switched from keeping such things from him to being instructive and far more open than Toshiro had been prepared for. It had strained their relationship a bit at first but he eventually accepted it - after all, even if he didn't have any personal interest, knowledge was knowledge. 

Now, general talk about such things didn't bother him at all. He could even mind his uncle's store and answer any questions thoroughly without a drop of anxiety or embarrassment. But he still drew the line of actually discussing his uncle - it was just nothing he wanted to remotely know or think about in relation to him.

Shunsui chuckled, nodding to Ulquiorra, saying, "I always did like you, Ulquiorra. 'Shiro isn't always taken seriously but I have no doubt that you're able to discern when he actually is completely serious about something and know when to step in. You're also intimidating enough that you don't actually need to say much to be effective," Shunsui added, emitting another chuckle.

Ulquiorra gave a small smile that was really more of a smirk, not replying verbally but knowing he didn’t really have to. He didn’t actively  _ try  _ to be intimidating, but his calm, commanding demeanor certainly seemed to work toward others thinking such things, making it easy to defend Toshiro when he needed to. 

Ichigo gave a half-hearted chuckle, though he was still glancing occasionally at severe emerald eyes. He honestly had no idea how Toshiro thought  _ those  _ eyes that could stare straight into one’s soul were anything like Yukio’s soft, innocent eyes, even if they were of a similar shade. Finally, he was able to fully tear his attention away from Ulquiorra to bring his eyes to Shunsui again. 

Jushiro had already told them quite a bit about Shunsui, so he didn’t know that he had any questions for him, or even curiosities really. At least, not that could be voiced with the present company. Though… one thing did stick in his mind. “So… Jushiro didn’t act like it was weird when he asked both me and Yukio to be his partners, but he’s never said anything about having any other partner except you. Did you guys… involve anyone else? Because it really doesn’t seem like something someone would be so casual about if they hadn’t done it before.”

Shunsui shook his head, "No. We never did include anyone. Juu was never casual about such things. He can't help forming a deep connection with anyone that submits to him - he feels like it's his responsibility to continue to take care of them afterwards, regardless if play was platonic or not in nature. He even worries over me still and it's been years," Shunsui said with a fond chuckle. 

"Obviously you both meant a great deal to him to accept this. He would not have entered any relationship with you lightly, only if he was convinced it would benefit you all and if he sincerely wanted such a bond with both of you. You're Yukio’s protector, right? Juu never would have attempted to pull him away from you, would have only acted with your blessing. When you admitted to having romantic feelings for Yukio as well - there was likely only one solution in his mind. But he would have considered it thoroughly before suggesting such a thing."

"I made him confront that idea when he pulled me into the back room, that day I met you and Yukio," Toshiro informed. "I could tell Yukio was responding to him as if his mind had already accepted him as his dominant. Then there was your obvious role as protector towards him. 

"It was clear you would be involved in some way with anything concerning Yukio, and I asked him to consider the possibility that he may come to like you both in that way. I advised that he only be the one to train you if he was comfortable with becoming involved with you both. So he did indeed have several days to consider the possibility of being with you both, even before you admitted your feelings to Yukio. 

"I was a bit surprised he decided that as well. Happy, proud too, but surprised - as Shunsui said, he had really been his only partner. Uncle has always had good instincts about people though. He never would have proposed a three person relationship unless he was convinced it would work."

Ichigo felt only more privileged hearing such things from  _ both  _ Shunsui and Toshiro - the two men who clearly knew Jushiro better than anyone else did. Jushiro had actually considered being involved with him this way before either of them had even admitted their feelings to Yukio. When Jushiro had suggested that they all be equal partners, he had already decided that he loved him, or at least thought that he  _ could.  _ It had never been  _ purely  _ about Yukio. Jushiro had always been considering  _ Ichigo’s  _ wellbeing, too. 

Ichigo lowered his eyes a bit, his expression dropping as he folded his hands together in his own lap. “I thought at first… that Jushiro was only including me because of Yukio. It was obvious that the two of them had a connection, and when they both admitted to having feelings for each other, I thought I’d be pushed out of the picture. I didn’t think Yukio needed me anymore, having someone like Jushiro to take care of him. When Jushiro said he had feelings for me, it was all so sudden. 

“I… wasn’t really sure that I was going to ever love him the way I love Yukio. I’d had my share of partners, though, and I’d done plenty with them without really loving them, so just the fact that Jushiro is beautiful was enough for me to be alright with being with him, if it meant staying with Yukio. It was a stupid, selfish thing to do. And don’t worry -  _ any  _ of you - because I know how defensive you get of each other. I never did anything with Jushiro before I realized I did love him. It didn’t take long, really. Just… sitting in the library with him, knowing that Yukio was happy playing games with you two -” he smiled up at Toshiro and Ulquiorra “- was probably the most relaxed I’ve ever been in my life.

“And then we started actually talking. He was genuinely interested in my degree, my interests, my  _ life.  _ Only Yukio had ever cared about that stuff. We’d talk for hours - we still do sometimes. We have a lot in common, and he puts up with me teasing him. It’s just  _ nice  _ to be with him, especially since I know he loves taking care of both me and Yukio. It’s really amazing that he  _ can,  _ but he does it without a second thought. I never thought I’d find someone I could trust to take care of Yukio, but really… I never thought I  _ needed  _ someone to take care of  _ me.  _ But being able to let him take care of Yukio when we’re home and let myself actually relax… it’s really the best feeling in the world, and I love Jushiro so much for that - and a whole lot of other things, too,” Ichigo concluded with a chuckle.

Toshiro smiled, nodding, "Uncle is rather easy to get along with, to love. Much like Yukio, honestly. They're both so kind and courteous. I wasn't really worried about you eventually falling for him, honestly. With how fast everything had happened, I would have been surprised if your feelings were that deep at the start, but attraction and your love for Yukio was enough that I wasn't concerned. I knew you wouldn't do anything to hurt either uncle or Yukio, that simply isn't you. 

"It was a good thing we spent that hour together before he returned so that I could get a proper feel for you because I know uncle would have been hesitant if I was anything but supportive. But while you're certainly more talkative and forward than I would usually be comfortable with, it was clear that you were asking many of those questions for Yukio's benefit. And after you learned I  _ wasn't _ single, you backed off flirting with me immediately, showing that you would respect that and not try to pursue me any further. So I wasn't actually uncomfortable at all with anything you had said or done. 

"You never once attempted to touch me physically, even though you didn't know my boundaries, which showed you were respectful. Your obvious care and protectiveness over Yukio without being controlling though is what made me like you enough and feel comfortable with the possibility of uncle entering into a relationship with you. So, believe it or not, when I spoke of you to uncle, I really only said positive things. He was just amused at your trying to flirt with me, I made it clear that you never took it too far or made me uncomfortable. And he was only happy, relieved even, that you were acting as Yukio's protector."

Ichigo chuckled, “I am actually surprised by that - that you only said positive things - because I was pretty sure you didn’t like me very much.” He sighed, though, his amusement dropping a bit to give way to a soft smile. “I’m glad Jushiro  _ does  _ have good instincts with people. He thought better of me than I probably ever did of myself. He’s always saying things I know I don’t deserve. Of course, I just have to take it, because apparently he’s never going to  _ stop  _ saying nice things. I swear if it didn’t affect Yukio so much, he’d always be telling him how gorgeous he is,” he said with another light laugh.

Shunsui laughed, saying, "Sounds like Juu. 'Lil Yukio has a praise kink hu? He must melt between the two of you. I bet it didn't take long at all to figure out either, with how often Juu compliments his partners."

“Nope, pretty sure it was the first day we came to visit,” Ichigo replied with a laugh. “Jushiro called him beautiful, and I honestly had no idea what was wrong with him. I’ve never seen anyone react like that to a compliment. But I guess… Yukio never has thought much of himself - thinks he’s too small, too skinny. I think he’s finally getting that at least me and Jushiro think he’s perfect, and that’s really all that matters.”

It was only moments later when Jushiro turned the corner from the kitchen with Yukio under his arm, and Ichigo laughed when he saw that Yukio had splotches of flour on his shirt, and somehow Jushiro had ended up with a smudge of it on his cheek. “How the hell did you two get flour on yourselves making  _ dinner?”  _ Ichigo asked, laughing as he spoke.

Jushiro chuckled, “While dinner was cooking, Yukio and I made cookie dough to bake later. I don’t think it’s possible to handle flour without getting it everywhere.”

Ichigo was still smiling brightly when he stood from the couch to approach them, and when he reached Jushiro he wiped the flour from his face and then moved his hand up to bury in his hair, pulling his fingers through it. “Well, we’d never know if it was in your hair, so I’ll just have to wash it for you tonight since Yukio can’t reach,” he said, throwing a teasing grin down to Yukio.

Yukio crossed his arms, pouting slightly. He muttered quietly, so that only Ichigo and Jushiro could hear him, "We definitely need to put in a bench…"

Jushiro chuckled and placed a hand on Yukio’s head. “We will, love. You know it’s only taking a while because I want to actually remodel the bathroom instead of just buying one,” he reminded him, running his fingers through Yukio’s hair. He then turned his gaze to the three on the loveseat, saying, “The table is set and dinner is ready.”

Ichigo leaned in a bit to capture Jushiro’s lips with his own for only a moment. “Love you, Jushiro,” he said softly when he pulled away.

Jushiro smiled, bringing a hand to Ichigo’s cheek. “Love you, Ichigo,” he replied. He led his two partners to the dining room table when the other three stood to follow, and when they were seated, Jushiro looked across the table to Shunsui. “I suppose you got to know Ichigo a bit while Yukio and I were cooking,” he assumed, smiling at his best friend and feeling truly grateful that he was  _ here. _

"A bit," Shunsui said. "Couldn't get many details out of him I don't already know from you and 'Shiro with him and Ulquiorra in the room though."

Toshiro rolled his eyes, saying, "After dinner Ulqui and I can retire to our room. Then you won't need to censor anything on our account. I've got some reading I need to do anyway. My doctorate program doesn't really go by semester but as long as I keep to my schedule it's more than manageable."

"You should do today and tomorrow's work then tonight, I want to spend all day with you tomorrow," Shunsui said with a grin. 

A small smile settled on Toshiro’s face as he nodded towards Shunsui before looking towards Ulquiorra, asking, "I don't believe we have any commitments tomorrow. Would you mind if I spent the day with Shunsui?" 

"Ulquiorra is of course invited," Shunsui added quickly, "If he wanted to come with. Probably go to the arcade - like we used to. Juu will be at the shop most of the day anyway. Hell Yukio and Ichigo could tag along too."

Ulquiorra glanced at Toshiro for a moment, knowing his partner would be overjoyed if he came, though very few arcade games actually appealed to him. “I would be willing to come with you,” he replied quietly, continuing to eat after he spoke.

Ichigo laughed a bit. “I guess I’ll be the only one just standing around watching then, but I’ll come, too,” he said, giving Yukio a smile. Really he was only going for Yukio. He knew he was comfortable with Toshiro and Ulquiorra, but in a loud, possibly crowded place - since it was summer vacation for most students, grade school and college - he could use all the support he could get.

“I am actually not fond of most arcade games, Ichigo. So you will have some company as a spectator much of the time,” Ulquiorra put in, emerald eyes still sharp as he looked at Ichigo, despite his borderline kind words, and his expression only softened minutely when Ichigo offered him a smile.

"I'd love to come, if it's not intruding at all…" Yukio said, his voice a mixture of excitement and hesitancy. "I've never actually been  _ in  _ an arcade, they're usually so crowded, but I think I'll be alright with you all…" Yukio looked towards Jushiro, silently asking both for permission and his opinion.

Jushiro caught Yukio’s eyes, smiling softly and reaching over to cup his cheek. “If you’d like to, you can go, love. Ichigo will be there, and he’ll take care of you. Even if you need to step out for a moment, I know he wouldn’t mind,” he said quietly, caressing Yukio’s cheek with his thumb as he spoke.

Yukio leaned into the touch, smiling happily as he responded, "Danke, Meister."

Shunsui only smiled at the interaction, finding Yukio to be very sweet and obviously comfortable relying on both of his partners. He also appreciated Ichigo consenting nearly immediately, likely knowing that Yukio would want to come but be hesitant about it. They all fit well together, and Shunsui really couldn't be more happy for his oldest friend. 

After dinner, Toshiro and Ulquiorra retired to their room as Toshiro said they would. The other four got comfortable once again in the living room, this time with Shunsui by himself on the loveseat. The other three sat how they usually would upon the couch, this time with Jushiro holding Yukio against his chest, the small submissive sitting across his lap, his legs stretched out over Ichigo's. Yukio had put the cookies in to bake and had a timer on his phone of when to go retrieve them, sitting relaxed against his partners in the meantime. 

"So, Ichigo - I do believe our conversation from before was put on hold," Shunsui stated, relaxing back against the cushions of the loveseat. "You were going to tell me what you've told Yukio in the past."

Ichigo laughed, looking over at Yukio. “Should I start with the tamest, or just rip off the band-aid? Because I  _ could  _ ease into this, or I could just jump right in,” he asked with a wide grin.

Yukio looked mostly resigned but stated rather decisively, "Ease into it - you can rip the band-aid off the rest of the way when I go deal with the cookies. I don't need to hear it  _ again." _

“Okay, okay. I mean, the tamest was probably my first time, because I was a virgin when I first started college. Actually, I didn’t realize I liked  _ men  _ until then. In high school, I just figured I hadn’t found the  _ right  _ girl,” he admitted with a chuckle. “Went to my first college class, a guy actually flirted with me, and  _ damn.  _ Didn’t take me long to realize I liked it. So, we got to know each other, he was nice, I told him I was a virgin - in all senses of the term - so he took it real easy on me. 

“Still, once we had done it a few times, he started trying stuff with me. He was my first in a  _ lot  _ of things - but most notably, the guy gave  _ fantastic  _ head. I swear once he gave me one blowjob that was all I wanted from him,” Ichigo rambled, keeping a discreet eye on Yukio and grinning at just how heavily he was already blushing. “What? Not tame enough for you?” he teased.

"You hadn't actually told me about your  _ first  _ time before, must have happened before you started hanging out with me all the time," Yukio said quietly. 

“Well, yeah. It was my first semester in college. You asked for  _ tame,  _ though, not things you’d heard before. But, I mean, really, I think I thought too much of that guy just because it was my first time doing that stuff, because you give much better blowjobs than he did,” Ichigo teased, biting his lip to keep from actually fully laughing as Yukio’s blush only deepened.

Yukio simply stared at Ichigo, torn between being thoroughly embarrassed and feeling a very odd sense of accomplishment at Ichigo's words. Though his tone was teasing, he also obviously meant it, and Yukio thrived on pleasing his partners. Now that Ichigo had made the comparison, Yukio couldn't help but wonder how he compared overall to Ichigo's past partners - not that he would  _ ever  _ actually ask such a question. 

Apparently, though, he didn't have to. 

"Oh? And have there been any other contenders? Or is Yukio now the best? After all, you originally spoke of this man like he was amazing at it - Yukio must be something else for you to so easily say he's better after all that initial praise," Shunsui stated, grinning at how flushed the smaller man was. 

“Oh, for sure - Yukio’s the best. And he  _ is  _ something else. His mouth is amazing,” Ichigo replied with immediate certainty.

"Ichigo…" Yukio whined, blushing fiercely, though he actually was pleased that Ichigo thought he was that good. The genuine praise was also beginning to get to him, causing heat to flow through him. Emerald eyes became slightly darker as he looked into Ichigo's warm amber and he nuzzled his cheek against Jushiro's chest to help calm himself. 

Jushiro chuckled and brought a hand up to card his fingers soothingly through soft blonde hair. “Okay, Ichigo, I think we need to take some attention off of Yukio. This was meant to be about you, not him,” he pointed out, knowing that even though it wasn’t the most conventional of praise, Yukio was certainly taking it that way.

Ichigo ran his hand up and down Yukio’s leg, actually loving how affected he was by something as simple as a compliment. “Fine, okay, so that was the first guy I was with. When we broke up, it wasn’t bad but I missed him a bit, so it took awhile for me to want to date again. The next semester, though, I met a ridiculously hot guy that I never in a million years would have guessed was into other guys. He was older, actually in his last semester when I was just in my second, but he was missing an elective or something and had to take a lower-level class. 

“Anyway, I honestly couldn’t stop staring at him as soon as he walked into class. It was January and he was wearing a tanktop like he didn’t care that it was below thirty degrees outside. Not that I minded the view - he obviously worked out and he had these sexy tattoos on his arms, and other places, as I found out later. He caught me staring and gave me a smirk that I swear went straight to my cock. After class he - actually very politely - introduced himself, we ate lunch together, and then he took me back to his house off campus. 

“Apparently, I had caught his eye, too, said my hair caught his attention. Like his was any more subtle, with it being red. And I don’t mean ginger red, I mean  _ crimson.  _ He took me  _ hard,  _ and it was actually amazing. Drove him crazy when I messed with his hair, so I definitely took advantage of that. We didn’t really have a relationship, just every now and then he’d invite me over. I understood, though. He was graduating and I still had a few years left. But he was rough, and I loved it,” Ichigo concluded, really getting a bit lost in the memory.

Shunsui grinned, agreeing, "That definitely can feel amazing. I bet this guy had nothing on what Juu can do though - has he taken you rough like that yet?" 

Ichigo’s eyes widened, and he looked to Jushiro briefly before turning back to Shunsui. “Uh - no. I didn’t know he  _ could  _ be rough. He’s always so nice and gentle with us,” he replied.

Jushiro chuckled and waved off Shunsui’s comment. “I only would if you asked me to. I’m not going to ever be rough without talking about it first. I didn’t know that was something you might want, Ichigo, but I would be willing to as long as we discussed it first,” he said, a light blush dusting his cheeks as he spoke.

Yukio looked up at Jushiro, his voice tentative and curious as he asked, "And me, Meister?" Ichigo and Jushiro both were always so gentle with him - which he loved, as he felt so cherished when they were. But he couldn't help being curious how it would feel if either of them were more rough with him. 

Jushiro smiled down at Yukio and leaned down to kiss his forehead. “If that’s what you wanted, love, I would certainly do that for you,” he responded, his voice gentle and completely contrasting to what they were actually talking about.

Just the thought of  _ Jushiro  _ being rough with anyone had Ichigo’s mind reeling a bit, but he couldn’t help but think it would be sexy as hell. He had investigated the equipment in the room downstairs, and some of it would suggest that his kind partner was capable of it, but he hadn’t actually attempted to picture it until now, and he had to admit it was an attractive image. 

"Ja…" Yukio said softly. "I'd at least like to try, since Ichigo's always said he enjoyed it… I hadn't heard of this particular partner before, it was still before we'd met and started hanging out, but he's always said how he likes being treated roughly…"

Ichigo grunted a bit, his expression falling from its constant smile. “Yeah, it’s not always the best thing to be into, though. Most people won’t even do it, and really that first guy was one of the only ones who actually knew what he was doing. I got a few bruises, asking people to do stuff they obviously didn’t know how to do. One guy actually drew blood once. He apologized, but I definitely didn’t feel comfortable with him after that,” he admitted. That was definitely something he had never told Yukio, never wanting him to worry or think he was in danger. But now, with both of them in a highly secure environment with people they trusted, he didn’t feel the need to hide anything.

Jushiro’s brow furrowed with concern, and he put an arm around Ichigo’s shoulders to pull him into his side, smiling a bit when Ichigo willingly pressed into him. He kissed Ichigo’s hair, saying softly, “I’ll never hurt you. I’m so sorry that happened to you. Love you, Ichigo.”

Ichigo nuzzled his cheek into Jushiro’s shoulder as he leaned into him. “I know. I learned my lesson, honestly, and I would never ask you to do that unless I trusted you completely. Love you,” he murmured.

Yukio leaned forward, bringing his arms around Ichigo's neck and hugging him, his words filled with concern as he said, "You never told me anyone hurt you… Even by accident…"

Ichigo gave a half-hearted chuckle. “Of course I didn’t. I didn’t need you worrying about me, as anxious as you already were all the time. I was fine, anyway. No lasting damage - no scars,” he insisted, shifting to kiss Yukio’s cheek before settling back into Jushiro’s side.

Yukio frowned, saying, "I worried about you anyway - whenever you weren't with me, honestly. Please don't omit things like that because it might upset me. I'll only worry more, because I thought you  _ would  _ tell me. I'm here for you too, ja? You're my Ichigo…"

Ichigo brought a hand to take one of Yukio’s. “Sorry, Yukio. Really, I am. I just… didn’t want anyone making a big deal about it. Not that I think anything’s ever going to happen to us now, but you’re right - we’re not with each other every minute of the day - so I’ll tell you everything from now on, okay? I promise. Love you, my Yukio,” he said, bringing Yukio’s hand to his lips to kiss the back of it.

Yukio smiled, responding softly, "Gut." He jumped a bit when the alarm on his phone went off, glancing up at Jushiro and sliding off his lap when he released him with a nod. He leant to kiss Ichigo’s cheek before he left though, saying softly, "You better. Love you, mein Ichigo."

When Ichigo released Yukio’s hand, the smaller man retreated toward the kitchen, and Ichigo grinned before turning to Shunsui. “Okay, the thing Yukio probably doesn’t want to hear again,” he began, leaning up and propping his elbows on his knees and his hands folded, “There was one guy other than that first one that  _ did  _ know what he was doing when it came to rough stuff. I dated him for quite a while compared to the others, so I trusted him quite a bit. He was nice, kinda quiet, so I really didn’t expect him to be willing to be rough with me. 

“But when I asked him to, he said he would, that he’d done it before. I figured he just meant give me a rough fuck, but he got me on my hands and knees and started _spanking_ me. It was _amazing,_ and he never did act like it was weird that I liked it. He just did it _harder -_ as hard as I wanted - and I loved it. And when he was done spanking me, he’d give me a rough fuck, too. He was always so nice otherwise, making sure I was okay and that he didn’t actually hurt me. We broke up because he transferred schools, so it wasn’t such a harsh parting, but I did miss him for a while,” Ichigo ended with a tamer tone.

Jushiro chuckled a bit. “Sounds like that young man may have been involved in the community, or had at least learned from someone who was. That sounds like proper open-hand impact play to me,” he said a bit amusedly.

"I agree," Shunsui said, nodding. He grinned, adding, "It also sounds like the impact play equipment downstairs may get some proper use."

Jushiro nodded. “Ichigo had already expressed some interest, but I had no idea he’d actually experienced it before,” he said to Shunsui before turning to Ichigo, saying, “That makes me a bit more confident administering it to you, though I don’t do open-hand - only with tools. I just don’t feel quite right actually  _ hitting  _ someone with my hand.”

Ichigo smiled and shook his head. “However you’re willing to do it - even if the answer had been not at all - is good with me,” he said, leaning over to kiss Jushiro’s cheek. “I just didn’t really think of spanking as impact play. Guess we might as well add that to my list,” he added with a chuckle. 

“Of course. You know the contract is always up for revision,” Jushiro agreed.

Yukio reappeared with two plates of cookies, setting the larger on the coffee table. He held the smaller plate in both hands, his attention directed towards Jushiro as he said, "These are for Toshiro and Ulquiorra. Shall I bring them to their room or set them back in the kitchen for them?" 

Jushiro brought kind jade eyes up to Yukio, replying with a smile, “You can go on and take them to their room, love. I know at least Toshiro will appreciate that they’re still warm.”

Yukio nodded, smiling brightly. He walked the short distance down the hall to their room, knocking on the door softly and delivered the plate to an indeed very appreciative Toshiro before returning to Jushiro. He reclaimed his spot on Jushiro's lap, grabbing himself a cookie. He placed his legs on Ichigo's lap, asking, "Did I manage to miss you ripping off the band-aid?" Question asked, he snuggled into Jushiro a bit, carefully eating his cookie so as to not drop any crumbs onto Jushiro's shirt. 

Ichigo reached for a cookie for himself, holding it for a moment as he considered an answer. “Well, that depends. I told  _ one  _ story I know made you blush when I told it the first time, but I’m sure there’s more,” he replied, taking a bite of the cookie and giving Yukio a teasing smirk.

Yukio rolled his eyes, asking, "Are you going to continue telling these stories? I suppose I don't  _ really  _ mind, I did live through hearing them the first time."

“What about the guy that introduced me to cock rings? That one’s not too bad, huh? Probably actually more entertaining than anything because the guy practically tortured me after I asked what a cock ring was for,” Ichigo said a bit absently, running through the possible remaining stories in his mind as he finished one cookie and grabbed another.

Yukio giggled, saying, "I remember that - I couldn't tell if you were complaining or wanted him to do it again."

Ichigo smiled when Yukio laughed. “Well, I wasn’t too sure myself, actually. I mean, damn, he had three orgasms before he let me have  _ one.  _ I would have thought he was  _ actually  _ being a jerk, but I have to admit I enjoyed it. Definitely not something I would do every time, but every now and then,” he admitted. “Really, though, I think the whole idea behind this was so Shunsui knew what amount of detail I went into so that  _ he  _ could enlighten us concerning Jushiro - or were you wanting  _ us  _ to enlighten  _ you?  _ Whatever the case is, I hope Jushiro isn’t embarrassed easily,” Ichigo added.

Jushiro laughed, “I believe you should know by now, Ichigo, that I’m certainly  _ not  _ embarrassed easily. I don’t believe there’s anything any of you would speak of just between us that would bother me.”

"I would like to know what you've actually already done together - then I can bestow my wisdom on how to drive Jushiro crazy," Shunsui said with a wink. 

Jushiro chuckled quietly. “Now, Shunsui, be nice. You tell Ichigo too much and I’ll never get to sleep,” he said, smiling over at Ichigo.

Ichigo laughed, waving off the comment. “Nah, I’d let you sleep. Can’t promise anytime you’re awake and we’re all at home, though,” he teased. “Honestly, though, Jushiro’s so calm all the time, really the most reaction  _ I’ve  _ ever gotten out of him is when I hit his prostate during prep,” he said as he turned back to Shunsui.

Shunsui nodded, saying, "Jushiro's strongest kinks are orgasm denial and prostate massage, and combining both usually will eventually get him to actually break his calm. Also, he actually really enjoys giving a partner multiple orgasms before finally has one himself, sort of like what that last man you mentioned put you through. Difference is though, Jushiro doesn't really need a cock ring to do that, his control is so good. He used to go several days, making me come more than once each of those days, before finally letting himself come. It won't usually matter how much you stimulate him if he doesn't want to come - except if you stimulate his prostate," Shunsui informed with a grin. 

Ichigo’s eyes snapped back to Jushiro. “How the  _ hell  _ can you do that and actually enjoy it?” he demanded.

Jushiro shrugged. “I’ve always been able to hold back without much difficulty, and I have tried to test myself - for lack of better term - in the past. Eventually I do  _ need  _ relief after denying myself several times, and as Shunsui has so openly shared, there are ways to make me more desperate faster. But, at least my strongest kink isn’t as easy to exploit for teasing purposes, unlike  _ someone  _ who’s quite fond of receiving neck bites,” he said, throwing Shunsui a teasing smirk.

Shunsui shrugged, "I already said I liked rough treatment. Somehow it's even more satisfying coming from someone as sweet and gentle as Juu. He's willing to do  _ almost  _ anything if it brings pleasure to his partner. I think some of the hottest times we had was when I'd try to fight him for control and he'd pin me - I didn't even have to let him win, he's stronger than he looks. If I kept trying to fight while he prepped me, he'd just fuck me all the harder for it - and not let me come until I submitted fully. He doesn't like his dominance legitimately challenged, likes to put you back into place, but he does so by driving you crazy with pleasure. Not once did he raise his voice or hurt me in any way, but he did get me to legitimately surrender to him. Like I said, there's very little you can do to make him lose his cool. If he wants to edge you for hours, he  _ can." _

“Damn,” Ichigo whispered under his breath. He knew his face had to be at least a bit flushed, but it wasn’t really from embarrassment. If Yukio wasn’t in Jushiro’s lap, he knew he would be tempted to try to pin the man right there on the couch. Just imagining Jushiro fighting back and actually  _ winning  _ had Ichigo’s blood running a bit hot. He honestly hadn’t even considered asking Jushiro to treat him roughly, not wanting the kind man to feel like he was asking him to contradict his entire personality. But apparently Jushiro  _ enjoyed  _ it, if that was what his partner wanted. 

“I can tell that’s something Ichigo will be exploring at some point. He does seem to enjoy challenging me,” Jushiro said with a chuckle, “The first time Ichigo and I kissed - with tongue, that is - he got a bit of that. I was under him and I still wasn’t going to back down.”

Yukio’s face was flush as well, remembering that challenging kiss and imagining watching Jushiro pin Ichigo as Shunsui was describing, nuzzling his heated face into Jushiro's chest, his hand coming to fist in his shirt. 

Shunsui grinned, watching Yukio’s reaction, saying, "Looks like you could administer two kinks at the same time with that Juu - I think the little one would enjoy watching. I bet if you tied him up a bit and placed him so he could watch, you'd have them  _ both  _ begging before long."

Jushiro didn’t really think before bringing a hand to thread repeatedly through Yukio’s hair to attempt to calm him. “Yes, our Yukio has quite a strong voyeurism kink. Ichigo as well. It seems I’m the odd one out in that regard,” he said, beginning to massage the back of Yukio’s neck to further distract and calm him.

"Oh? Both of them like watching, I suppose that's good - except when you finish with one the other wants attention," Shunsui said with a laugh. "Seems like quite the cycle to be caught in. I suppose you could always just have them eventually wear each other out. You always did have amazing stamina though, so maybe you can keep up with both."

Jushiro laughed fully at that. “Amazing stamina is a highly relative term, Shunsui. I often can’t keep up with Ichigo. Good thing Yukio  _ can,  _ or I would have to get quite creative to satiate Ichigo. I suppose age is getting to me,” he admitted with a small chuckle.

"Good thing you have them both to wear each other out a bit then. My age has been getting to me too," Shunsui said with a grin. He leaned back, asking, "You mentioned sake?" 

“Oh!” Jushiro perked up. “Yes. Ichigo, Yukio, would either of you like some?” he asked, looking to his partners.

“I’ll try it,” Ichigo replied, shrugging a bit.

“Yukio?” Jushiro asked, bringing the hand that had been massaging his neck around to his chin to bring his eyes up to him.

"Ja, Meister. Should I get it?" Yukio asked, his blush getting a bit under control, focusing on a possible task. 

“Yes, love, if you would, please. Would you get me a cup of tea instead? I don’t want sake,” Jushiro replied, keeping jade eyes locked on emerald.

Yukio nodded, asking, "Ja, Meister. Should I warm the sake or serve it chilled?" 

“Warmed. Do you need any help, love? I know that’s a bit to handle, keeping an eye on the sake while it’s warming and brewing my tea at the same time,” Jushiro offered. 

"I can do it, Meister," Yukio said, real confidence leaking into his tone. He knew his way around the kitchen far better now, between helping Jushiro and Toshiro. He already had a clear process in his head of how to time and accomplish both. "I know Shunsui won't be here for long. I love having you with me but I want you to spend time with him while you can, Meister."

Jushiro smiled and bent to kiss Yukio’s cheek. “Good, Yukio. Go on then,” he allowed, loosening his hold on Yukio to let him get up. 

Yukio grinned, kissing Jushiro's jaw before getting up, snatching another cookie as he went back out to the kitchen. 

Shunsui watched the interaction and Yukio leave fondly, commenting, "He seems so happy, Juu. You make an amazing master. He really does want direction with almost everything, doesn't he?" 

Jushiro smiled fondly toward the kitchen for a moment before turning back to Shunsui. “He does. His contract gives Ichigo and me most decision-making power. It took a bit of time, realizing small things - like the exchange we just had. It took a while for me to start just giving him permission to begin tasks - before he would just stare at me for a few seconds before I realized what he needed from me. I had to make the adjustment of asking him highly specific questions instead of giving him too many options. In fact, now I’ve gotten to know him so well that I can usually just  _ tell  _ him what to do instead of giving him options at all. I stumbled around the role for a bit - Toshiro is one of the main reasons I even do as well as I do now,” he replied with a small laugh. 

"Shiro's a legitimate prodigy, that doesn't surprise me in the least. Yes he's submissive too but so am I and I wouldn't have been able to give you any good advice about how to be a master to someone that is 24/7 TPE," Shunsui said with a chuckle. 

“Toshiro understood Yukio from the start. It was baffling, really, as different as they are on the submissive spectrum. Outside of a scene, you’d likely not even know Toshiro was submissive, while I obviously knew Yukio was after speaking with him for half an hour in a public place. It was… actually a bit frightening, seeing just  _ how  _ submissive Yukio is. It’s why I was so glad he had Ichigo - so  _ relieved  _ that sweet, insecure boy had a protector - because Yukio clearly lives to please, and that disposition can easily be taken advantage of,” Jushiro said, his gaze dropping a bit to stare blankly at the plate of cookies on the table. 

Ichigo leaned over to kiss Jushiro’s cheek, startling him a bit out of deep thought. “I might not have known anything about this stuff, but as soon as I met Yukio, I knew he needed someone around. He was way too quiet, didn’t have any friends. I just know people like that can get themselves into trouble if the wrong person tries to get close,” he said, putting an arm around Jushiro and leaning into his shoulder, earning him a kiss to his hair.

Shunsui nodded, saying, "Clearly you both take excellent care of him now. And it's obvious he loves doing things to please those he cares about, from what I've seen tonight. It's a very good thing Ichigo became his protector before anyone took advantage of that."

Ichigo smiled. “Well, I didn’t know that was what I was doing, but Jushiro always tells me I had good instincts when I kinda made him be my friend,” he said, pausing for a moment before continuing in a lower voice, “He doesn’t  _ just  _ love pleasing us by doing stuff like getting us drinks. I really wasn’t kidding about how he uses his mouth.”

“Ichigo,” Jushiro half-heartedly scolded, ending up chuckling a bit. “I suppose it’s not untrue,” he agreed a bit resignedly.

Shunsui laughed openly, saying as he calmed, "Well, Juu doesn't have many to compare. And I'm sure Yukio’s drive to please you likely makes him fairly enthusiastic - which honestly is better than someone with a lot of experience who isn't as into it. That's true of most sexual acts though - experience is always overshadowed by a partner legitimately  _ wanting  _ to do something to or for you, and enjoying doing it. I bet he does enjoy it, seeing you both in pleasure because of his mouth - which only makes him want to do it more and get even better."

Jushiro smiled and nodded. “I suppose that’s why I’m so experienced in so many things, even having had so few partners. I really just wanted to please you, Shunsui, and now the same is true of my feelings for Ichigo and Yukio. My own pleasure really doesn’t mean much in comparison to seeing my partners enjoying themselves,” he said.

“Guess that’s why it’s so hot to watch you two together - you’re both working so hard to make each other feel good,” Ichigo said with a chuckle.

"I bet," Shunsui said with a grin, looking up as Yukio rejoined them, their drinks on a tray he sat next to the plate of dwindling cookies. He silently offered each their respective drink before grabbing his own and reclaiming his seat upon Jushiro's lap, his legs over Ichigo’s again. 

Shunsui couldn't help but think that the obviously habitual seating arrangement between the three was adorable as he took a sip of his sake. He hummed in appreciation, saying, "This is perfect, Yukio. Just what I needed before bed, I know I'll sleep well tonight now."

"Ahhm… You're welcome, Shunsui," Yukio said softly, a light blush dusting his face. As he kept eye contact with Shunsui, he took a sip of his own sake, leaning fully against Jushiro's chest. The warmth of the alcohol seemed to touch every part within his body, warming him from within and he couldn't resist nuzzling his cheek against Jushiro's chest. 

Jushiro smiled as Yukio nuzzled into him, always loving the feeling of having him against him. He carefully sipped his tea, keeping one arm around Yukio’s waist as he always did. Really, the closer both of his partners were to him, the more at ease he was, and he was almost sure Yukio only had a vague idea just how much it helped  _ him  _ to have him almost constantly in his lap when they were in the same room. “Thank you, Yukio. The tea is perfect as well,” he commented softly, tilting his head down to kiss Yukio’s hair.

Yukio smiled happily, accomplishment and pride causing his face to flush a bit more as he said, "Gut. I'm glad, Meister." He leaned away to grab one of the last cookies - Ichigo having eaten most of them - before cuddling back into Jushiro's chest. Even Ichigo eating all the cookies so quickly made him feel a greater sense of accomplishment, as he'd been the one to  _ mostly  _ make them, Jushiro directing him through the process. He knew that's not why Ichigo was doing so - he just liked them and wanted to eat them - but that was exactly why he was proud, that Ichigo liked and enjoyed something he'd made. 

Toshiro had said something similar, back when Yukio first thought he'd try cooking. He'd never had to cook himself - his entire life he'd either had a cook (at home) or ate in a school cafeteria. College had been no different as his parents always funded a meal plan for him to eat on campus. So he'd asked Toshiro why he seemed to enjoy something that seemed like a chore. 

_ "Because, if it makes Ulqui smile, even briefly, I know I did a good job. And that feels amazing. I also like to relieve what stress and work that I can from uncle. It's nice seeing him relax more, now that he has you and Ichigo. He works all day, most days, so I do want I can to help at home. Relieving any of his burden is worth it to me." _

After that explanation, Yukio had wanted to help too. He wanted to help relieve some of Jushiro's work at home. He just hadn't known  _ how  _ to cook. Toshiro taught him at first, and Jushiro had been surprised the first time Yukio brought dinner to the table and Toshiro said that Yukio had been the one to make the meal. Seeing Ichigo and Jushiro enjoying what he'd made really did feel amazing. After that he nearly always helped in the kitchen, and he was getting steadily better. He loved cooking  _ with  _ Jushiro the most but he also liked doing what he could on his own, feeling more accomplished afterwards. 

Shunsui had a fond smile on his face, watching the other three interact together. He'd honestly been a bit concerned over Jushiro when the years passed and he didn't have another relationship. Jushiro loved doting on a partner, it made him happy. And while Shunsui was certain Toshiro received most of Jushiro's care and attention when he'd been placed abroad for his career as an interpreter at the American embassy in Japan, he knew his oldest friend well. 

Jushiro thrived on caring for a partner, to a degree that would have been suffocating to Toshiro. He also knew Jushiro would never be that way with Toshiro, however, and hadn't been that worried when he'd left. 

But then Jushiro never took another partner and he became concerned that he'd left a hole behind that Jushiro was, unknowingly, not allowing to be filled. 

Until he called about meeting Yukio. 

Shunsui had heartedly encouraged him to not simply let him leave the store again without doing  _ something  _ \- invite him over, exchange phone numbers -  _ anything.  _ He hadn't heard Jushiro's voice filled with so much longing in a long time, and he was obviously worried about the state he'd left in. Shunsui had been ecstatic to hear about every bit of further progress since then, happy Jushiro had not been deterred by Ichigo's role in Yukio’s life, only embracing him as a part of any relationship with Yukio. 

"I propose a toast," Shunsui said, breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen over them. "I wanted to thank you both - Ichigo, Yukio - for what you've done for Jushiro by accepting a relationship with him. He's been so much happier and at peace since he gained you both as partners. So, thank you," Shunsui said, lifting his glass. "Kanpai!" 

Yukio immediately drank out of etiquette, though he blushed more heavily at the reason for the toast. Ichigo followed suit quickly and Yukio immediately re-filled first Shunsui’s and then Ichigo's small cups before setting the bottle back on the tray. 

Shunsui grinned at the subtle tact, grabbing the bottle himself and filling Yukio’s cup for him, Yukio giving him a small smile and nod in return. Shunsui laughed, saying, "Very few Americans that have never been to Japan understand Japanese drinking etiquette. You must have done a bit of research before I got here."

Yukio smiled, nodding. "Knowing you've lived there for the past several years and that we would be drinking sake, I wanted to be respectful," Yukio said softly. 

Shunsui looked at Jushiro, chuckling and shaking his head as he said, "I can't believe you found a partner even more courteous and conscientious than you."

Jushiro laughed, holding Yukio to him for a moment in a semblance of a hug before bringing a hand to the smaller man’s chin and tilting his face up to kiss his cheek. “I told you, Yukio lives to please, and he does a very good job doing so,” Jushiro said quietly, still holding Yukio’s gaze but knowing that Shunsui had heard him. “I love you, Yukio,” he added in just over a whisper, his eyes wandering Yukio’s beautiful face, emerald eyes soft and slightly glassy and cheeks slightly flushed - whether from the alcohol or the constant light subspace and slight effect their compliments had was unclear. 

"Love you, Meister," Yukio whispered back, his focus entirely on Jushiro's beautiful, warm jade eyes. He really did love pleasing those he cared for -  _ especially  _ his partners who took such wonderful care of him. 

As Jushiro leaned forward for a cookie before settling Yukio back against his chest, Ichigo smiled over at them both, sipping his sake. “I don’t feel like I’ve done much for Jushiro, honestly. He’s taught me more about myself than I probably ever would have known otherwise. I never really knew  _ why  _ I always let my partners top me without much debate about it. Not that it mattered at the time, but it always did feel a little like a break, letting someone else do all the work. Because even if I wasn’t in a romantic relationship with Yukio, obviously my mind knew what I was doing even if I didn’t. 

“The fact that he doesn’t make me do much - anything, really - in terms of decision-making for Yukio while we’re at home is more of a relief than I thought it would be. Of course, it’s not like Yukio and I stay away from each other or don’t talk, because we do, and we’re closer now than we ever were before, but having Jushiro to handle Yukio’s care and being able to just hang out with him has actually made it easier to talk to Yukio. So, Jushiro hasn’t just given me a break from having to be in a dominant mindset all the time. He’s actually given me a closer relationship with my best friend, and I don’t think anything I might have done for him could compare to that,” Ichigo said honestly, his soft smile still toward his partners.

Yukio’s expression softened a bit, saying, "I didn't even realize how much I had come to rely on you. I'm very happy and comfortable now, and I rarely have anxiety, especially here, at home. But I'm sorry for putting all that responsibility on you, Ichigo. I… don't feel like I was a very good friend before… I didn't really give you anything in return… I don't know why you kept hanging out with me - I wasn't even nice to you at first. I barely would talk to you…"

Ichigo shook his head. “Don’t apologize. You were a great friend, actually. You listened, even when you didn’t want to. You let me do my own thing. Even being anxious, you were never clingy. I kept hanging out with you because I liked you, Yukio. It didn’t feel like  _ responsibility.  _ I  _ wanted  _ to be there for you. Not talking to me - I know that wasn’t because you were being rude or mean. I’m pretty sure you wanted to talk to me and just  _ couldn’t,  _ and I could tell, especially after I started invading your dorm every day. I’ve been around jerks - hooked up with a few - and you weren’t being a jerk,” he assured him.

Yukio nodded, still blushing. He leaned towards Ichigo, wrapping his arms around Ichigo's forearm, his body still leaning against Jushiro as he pressed it kiss to Ichigo's shoulder. "Love you, mein Ichigo," Yukio said softly. "I'm very glad you continued to come over, that you sought me out when we weren't in class. I'm happy you think I was a good friend, even then. I… don't know what would have happened to me without you…"

Ichigo reached over to kiss the top of Yukio’s head. “Well, we don’t really have to think about that, do we? Because I love you, my Yukio, and me and Jushiro are never letting you go,” he said quietly.

Shunsui grinned, saying, "I think you do far more for Juu than you realize, Ichigo, just by being with Yukio when he can't be. Like on our outing tomorrow - you knew Yukio would want to come and didn't hesitate to say you would join us, even though you don't plan on actually playing anything."

Ichigo chuckled a bit before leaning back from Yukio to settle against the back of the couch again, still staying close enough for Yukio to hold his arm. “I guess I have habits I didn’t realize I had. I would’ve done the same thing before we met Jushiro if Yukio said he wanted to go somewhere - or seemed interested in going somewhere, because even then he hardly ever  _ asked  _ to do anything. ‘Course, he never  _ said  _ he wanted to go to Pisces or I would’ve been there with him that day, too,” he said with a smile.

"Was embarrassing enough to go alone…" Yukio mumbled, his face nuzzling against Ichigo’s forearm. "Told you when I got back, though… You even wanted to know what I  _ bought…" _

“Well, yeah, because you know  _ I  _ don’t mind knowing that stuff. Obviously, based on what I’ve told you about what I’ve done. Not like I was asking to watch you  _ use  _ what you bought. Though… that might be a reasonable question now,” Ichigo said, his tone and grin turning more than a bit teasing.

Yukio peeked up at him with slightly glassy emerald eyes and a flushed face, mumbling out, "Would… you want to?" 

Ichigo was actually shocked by what seemed to be an offer, and amber eyes widened a bit at just how serious Yukio obviously was. He clearly hadn’t been drinking enough that he would make such a comment without thought. “I - uh - only if you wanted to. I definitely think it would be hot, but I would never make you feel like you had to,” he replied, his own voice a bit uncertain.

"You wouldn't make me feel like I had to…" Yukio said softly, "I mean… If you wanted me to… Then… I would… I like making you feel good and… if watching me… would… then…" Yukio’s voice trailed off, losing confidence and becoming more embarrassed the more he spoke. 

Ichigo chuckled, leaning over to kiss Yukio’s cheek. “We’ll talk about it later. Or maybe after another few cups of sake,” he teased, relaxing back to sip from his own cup. 

Yukio nodded, giggling and kissing Ichigo's shoulder before unwrapping his arms to fill both Ichigo and Shunsui’s cups. Taking his own still filled cup in both hands, he met Shunsui’s eyes and said softly, "Kanpai." The older man grinned, drinking with him, refilling Yukio's cup and Yukio reciprocating. 

"Ichigo," Shunsui addressed, waiting for amber eyes to meet his own and offering a wide smile. "Anything else you were curious about? I'm an open book."

Ichigo took a small sip from his cup, glancing over at Jushiro’s cup of tea before turning back to Shunsui and asking, “You were with Jushiro for a  _ long  _ time. What’s he like when he gets drunk?”

Shunsui laughed, saying,"I'm sorry to say I've got no embarrassing stories to share in regards to Juu being drunk. He just gets tired, nearly falls asleep in his seat and I have to help him home and to bed. He doesn't enjoy it so he never drank often. He probably remembers some stories about  _ me  _ that I have no recollection of though."

Jushiro laughed, several such instances actually coming to mind fairly immediately. “I believe I swore to never drink in public with you after you started kissing every woman in the bar  _ on the mouth  _ to say hello, and then tried to explain to them that that was a common greeting in other countries. I was tipsy that night and barely could drag you away from one woman who nearly punched you in the face. I  _ couldn’t  _ drink if I was going to prevent you from one day coming home with a bloody nose or black eye,” Jushiro pointed out with a smile, his grin widening when Ichigo’s laughter became rather uncontrollable next to him.

Shunsui shrugged, "Some women just don't appreciate some innocent flirting."

Jushiro shook his head, but jade eyes brightened again when he remembered another. “You deny this happened every time I repeat it, but I was absolutely sober, so I know I wasn’t dreaming or imagining things. We had gone to a club, so it was quite crowded. We were with a few friends, so I allowed Shunsui to go dance with them without me. Next thing I knew, our friends were back at the table  _ without  _ Shunsui, and when I asked where he was, none of them knew. We found him thirty minutes later sitting on the curb a mile down the street with a stray cat in his lap. He wanted us to keep the cat,” Jushiro recalled, laughing by the time he had finished the story.

"I have no recollection of such an event ever happening. We should have got a cat, though," Shunsui said with a wink towards Ichigo. 

Ichigo laughed, shaking his head. “I’m sure I haven’t been any better. Too bad Yukio never was able to actually come out with me since he just turned twenty-one in December. He wouldn’t have anyway,” he said, glancing at Yukio. “He would’ve had some stories to tell about me. Because I don’t remember anything when I get drunk. Pretty sure I’ve made out with some strangers before, though,” he added amusedly.

"You always did get far more cuddly when you drank in the dorms - not that you were  _ supposed  _ to drink in the dorms but I never could convince you out of it after midterms or finals," Yukio said, giggling. "I suppose I should be surprised that's  _ all  _ you did then, if you have a habit of making out with people. 

"That last time you convinced me to join you, after I had just turned 21 and you insisted on finally having me drink with you,  _ I _ was tempted to do  _ something  _ \- I think I had to stop myself a few times from kissing your neck. To be fair, you actually did have me cuddled in your lap and my face practically pressed against your neck - I'm not certain you remember that, actually. I had to let you sleep in my room that night and slept in yours because you passed out and there was no physical way I was going to be able to move you," Yukio said, giggling again and taking a sip of his sake. 

Ichigo’s smile turned a bit predatory as he turned amber eyes to Yukio’s face. “Oh, you really shouldn’t have told me that, because I’m starting to get a nice buzz and if you were tempted  _ then,  _ I’m real curious to see what happens now,” he said, his voice low and rather heated as he leaned over to quite abruptly press his lips to Yukio’s, not requesting to deepen it but very much wanting a reaction from his partner.

Yukio melted immediately, flushing deeper and releasing a quiet, whimpered moan. He clutched at his cup, always mindful of his master and careful not to drop any sake on him, but he desperately wanted to pull Ichigo towards him. He wasn't nearly as used to drinking, already feeling a bit drunk, especially with how tiny his body was. The alcohol was causing him to be far more bold, and though Ichigo didn't seem to want to deepen the kiss, Yukio opened his own mouth slightly and teased his lips with his tongue, releasing another quiet whimper. 

Ichigo pulled away for a moment to down what was left in his sake cup before leaning over to place it on the table. He took Yukio’s hand that was wrapped rather desperately around his own cup and said in a husky voice, “Drink the rest,” before releasing Yukio’s hand to allow him to do so.

Yukio immediately complied, emerald eyes hazy both with light subspace and the effect of the alcohol. He still held his cup, gaze locked on Ichigo. Now that he'd given an order, he felt compelled to wait for more, though he really just wanted to get back to kissing him. 

Ichigo took Yukio’s cup from his hand and placed it next to his own on the table, and before he had even settled back against the back of the couch, he was placing an arm around Yukio’s waist and pulling him to him, positioning Yukio straddling his lap and immediately claiming his lips again. The other two in the room honestly didn’t matter to Ichigo - he  _ wanted  _ Yukio. So he parted his lips, and as soon as his breath touched Yukio’s lips, the other mirrored the action, allowing him to invade Yukio’s mouth with a low moan.

Yukio moaned rather wantingly at Ichigo kissing him so thoroughly. It never failed to turn him on more and he clutched at his shirt. He returned the kiss heatedly, far more playful with the alcohol in his system. He wasn't trying to gain dominance in any way but he was far from his usual, pliant self, moaning deeply as he played with Ichigo's tongue. He mapped out Ichigo's mouth as well when Ichigo coaxed him into doing so, tightening his hold on his shirt and releasing an even louder moan, his focus entirely tunneled to kissing Ichigo, emerald eyes having fallen closed, not remotely considering their surroundings or the fact that Shunsui was still in the room. 

Ichigo was actually glad he wasn’t  _ as  _ drunk as he usually was by the time he was making out with someone after drinking, because he wanted to keep this in his memory - the way Yukio actually responded, the mixed flavor of the alcohol and Yukio’s own unique taste on his tongue, the  _ sounds  _ the smaller man was making. He brought one hand to bury into soft blonde hair, holding them gently together, the other hand wandering down to Yukio’s lower back, wanting to pull him closer but prevented by Yukio’s knees colliding with the back of the couch. He gave a rather muted growl at the obstacle, but he in no way wanted to stop tasting Yukio’s sweet mouth.

As their exchange became a bit heated, Jushiro shook his head and smiled fondly at them, not at all concerned. Still, he brought his gaze over to Shunsui, knowing he wouldn’t be bothered but truly wondering what exactly he  _ did  _ think of this rather sudden escalation of events.

Shunsui smiled at Jushiro, raising his glass in silent toast and drinking the rest of it. He cocked his head to the side in question, gesturing if he should leave. He figured if he spoke it may startle Yukio - who had clearly forgotten that he technically had an audience. From what he'd seen from the shy submissive, he highly doubted he'd be doing this in front of him otherwise. 

Jushiro glanced at the two next to him, who both seemed extremely occupied with one another, before holding a hand out toward Shunsui, silently gesturing for him to come to him for a moment, knowing Shunsui would have the presence of mind to stay at arm’s length so he would hopefully not remind Yukio of his presence.

Shunsui’s smile softened, silently coming to Jushiro, being very mindful not to draw attention to himself. He had to admit, the sounds the smaller submissive was releasing were both quite hot and distracting, but the amount he had drank was barely enough for him to feel it and he could easily ignore them, his focus instead on Jushiro. 

Jushiro took Shunsui’s hand when he was close enough, squeezing it gently. “Good night,” he really mouthed the words, his voice not quite surfacing so as to not disturb the two next to him.

Shunsui smiled broadly, patting Jushiro's hand and nodding. He glanced at the other two before winking at Jushiro, mouthing back,  _ Have fun,  _ before pulling away and silently making his way to the guest room. 

Jushiro looked back at his two partners, who were still locked in an increasingly heated kiss. He placed a hand on Ichigo’s shoulder, the other moving along with his touch before he even directed him. It was really amazing to him how Ichigo had begun to respond to him, being mostly compliant to his commands while still maintaining a more dominant demeanor with Yukio, sometimes nearly at the same time. “To the bedroom,” Jushiro said plainly, his voice calm and quiet but utterly commanding. 

Ichigo didn’t have to be told twice, bringing his hands under Yukio’s thighs to support him as he stood, not breaking away from the other’s mouth and actually groaning a bit more heavily with Yukio’s body fully against him and wrapped around him. 

Jushiro guided them to the bedroom with an arm around Ichigo’s back, above where Yukio’s legs were wrapped around his waist. When they crossed the threshold and the door was closed, Jushiro took Ichigo to the edge of the bed and brought a hand to his shoulder, applying pressure to direct him to sit. “Yukio, love, I want you to undress yourself, and then undress both of us. Ichigo, let him go so he can do so,” he instructed. 

Ichigo groaned a small complaint, not remotely wanting to stop his tongue so thoroughly and repeatedly exploring Yukio’s mouth. And the alcohol in his system actually made him quite willing to challenge Jushiro a bit, despite his initial compliance. This actually seemed to be the perfect opportunity to test what Shunsui had said the normally gentle man was capable of, so he only began claiming Yukio’s mouth a bit more roughly, the heat within him only building at his own clear defiance. 

His Meister's clear instructions cut right through to Yukio. But when Ichigo only kissed him more roughly instead of releasing him to do as ordered, Yukio keened in the back of his throat, his body beginning to shake as he was torn between submitting to Ichigo and obeying his Meister. He began doing what he could, undoing the clasps to his own pants and lifting his shirt up, rather clumsily removing his arms, pressed against Ichigo as he was. But he couldn't remove it any further, the fabric hanging from his neck, causing him to whine into Ichigo's mouth and his shaking to increase, desperately not wanting to displease either of his partners. 

Jushiro knew exactly what Ichigo was doing, and he sighed lightly. Leave it to Shunsui to give his more dynamic partner ideas. He stepped to stand directly next to them, his legs touching Ichigo’s where they hung over the side of the bed. He brought a hand up to firmly run it through Ichigo’s hair, a bit of heat running through him at what he was likely about to be forced to do. “Ichigo, you know you are keeping Yukio from following his orders. You have three seconds to release him as I told you to,” he warned, his voice lower and more demanding than either of his partners had ever heard. 

In that three seconds, which Jushiro counted silently, all Ichigo did was groan a bit brokenly into Yukio’s mouth, so Jushiro closed his hand around a fistful of Ichigo’s hair, gently pulling him back from Yukio’s mouth. The completely satisfied grin on Ichigo’s face when he was forced to look up to him had Jushiro smirking a bit. He noticed that Ichigo was still holding onto Yukio quite tightly, and he said in that same deep command, “Yukio, when I get Ichigo’s arms from around you, you will get off of his lap and back away a bit, understand?”

"Ja, Meister," Yukio said quickly, his breathing labored and fast, feeling heat both from Ichigo's kiss and the sake. His emerald eyes were becoming more glazed by the minute, trying to do as both wanted, submitting to both and falling into a moderate subspace. 

“Good, Yukio,” Jushiro replied. With Yukio’s acceptance, he didn’t waste any time, his hand leaving Ichigo’s hair only to firmly grasp one of Ichigo’s wrists while his other hand gripped the other, obviously taking Ichigo by surprise, if his lack of response was any indication. Both wrists now captive, Jushiro forcefully pulled Ichigo’s arms from around Yukio, the smaller man doing as he was told and sliding off of Ichigo’s lap, backing toward the head of the bed and only stopping when he collided with the bedside table. With Yukio safely out of the way, Jushiro wrenched Ichigo’s wrists above his head, using the leverage to press him down to the bed. 

Before Ichigo was even entirely sure what was going on, Jushiro was straddling his body, pinning him to the bed, and both of his hands were held captive above his head. Wide amber eyes narrowed a bit, though, and he attempted to free one hand, only to have Jushiro press down  _ harder  _ on his wrists. Ichigo was rather desperately turned on at this point, between kissing Yukio so roughly and now actually being effectively pinned by Jushiro. He truly wondered how long Jushiro could keep this up, though, if he continued to fight him. 

Yukio leaned a bit on the bedside table, trying to get his trembling under control a bit. But the sight in front of him was only causing him to continue, albeit for an entirely different reason. Jushiro hadn't rescinded his initial order, and so Yukio finished removing his own clothing. He stood rooted to the spot, however, fire catching throughout his body at the same time as he was pulled between two commands - remaining backed away and undressing his partners. He whimpered out, "Meister?" in question, the dissonance within him causing anxiety to creep in, a decidedly odd thing to feel while feeling so entirely aroused. 

Jushiro dropped the stern stare he was giving Ichigo in the moment it took him to look back at Yukio. Seeing that he was completely undressed snapped Jushiro’s mental focus back to him, and he had to immediately dismiss the frustration he felt surfacing toward Ichigo for so thoroughly distracting him. “I apologize, Yukio. You may sit on the bed and watch, but I am delaying your order to undress Ichigo and me until I get Ichigo under control. Understand, love?” he asked gently, dropping all the former harshness he had directed toward Ichigo. 

Relief flooded through Yukio, a bright smile coming to his face as he responded, "Ja, Meister." He immediately sat upon the edge of the bed, emerald eyes glassy but focused on his two partners, fists tightening to grasp the blankets upon the bed as seeing them together caused arousal to flow through him. "Danke, Meister," Yukio murmured, his eyes trailing over both gorgeous men, his heart rate only increasing. 

With Yukio settled, Jushiro turned his attention back to Ichigo, and he shook his head when he had to fight Ichigo’s wrists back down to the bed when the younger man attempted to raise them. “Ichigo, how long are you going to keep this up?” he asked, his small smile fondly exasperated.

Ichigo’s grin widened and gained a bit of a feral edge. “As long as you want to,” he replied, bucking his hips to attempt to throw Jushiro off-balance and failing, Jushiro’s knees only anchoring more firmly to the bed. The offset of his weight to his knees, though, made it possible for Ichigo to free one of his hands as the pressure on his wrists lifted a bit. Sharp reflexes he didn’t know Jushiro possessed had his wrist recapture in an instant, though.

Jushiro brought both of Ichigo’s wrists together in one hand, holding them securely above Ichigo’s head as he rather hastily turned to Yukio, requesting quickly, “Rope, love.” He knew there was an appropriate amount in the drawer of the bedside table, though he didn’t figure it would be used for this particular type of binding, expecting Ichigo to be bound willingly instead of being forced to submit.

Yukio quickly retrieved the rope from the bedside table drawer, getting only close enough to hand it to Jushiro before reclaiming his spot upon the edge of the bed. He was grinning, as it was obvious that Ichigo was both enjoying this and completely caught off guard. 

As soon as Jushiro had the rope uncoiled, he quickly wrapped it several times around Ichigo’s wrists with one hand, only releasing them with his other hand when he was sure he could hold the tension. Ichigo didn’t even have time to attempt to pull them apart before he was tying a tight knot. “Are you convinced you’re out of your depth now, Ichigo?” Jushiro taunted. He knew the answer, but clearly Ichigo was  _ loving  _ every moment of this. 

Ichigo swore Jushiro had never been sexier than he was at this moment, so skillfully restraining him and being so damn  _ confident  _ about it. “Not quite,” Ichigo replied lowly, bringing his arms around Jushiro’s neck to pull him down and holding him there, bound wrists trailing down to press firmly on Jushiro’s lower back and elbows rather harshly digging into his sides with the force. 

Jushiro actually growled at the sensation of being pinned against Ichigo, his skin crawling with the  _ need  _ to regain the advantage. He wasn’t truly trapped, though, knowing he could certainly use Ichigo’s other triggers against him, and knowing that he  _ liked  _ rough treatment definitely cleared any reservations he ever had about being forceful. One of his hands snuck out over Ichigo’s arm, coming up to firmly grasp sunset orange hair and pull, causing Ichigo to groan and begin to tremble a bit under him, his arms loosening a bit but not enough. So he shifted the small bit it took to reach Ichigo’s neck with his mouth, parting his lips and giving Ichigo only the warning of his tongue before bearing down and sucking  _ hard. _

Ichigo cried out, his body arching into Jushiro’s on top of him and his arms tightening down on him to increase the friction between their bodies. Between Jushiro’s hand still tight on his hair and his mouth creating harsh suction on his neck, Ichigo swore the man was set on driving him insane. 

Yukio’s pupils were so dilated in lust that his eyes were more black than green. He had to clutch at the blankets tighter to keep himself from moving, whether that would be towards his partners or stroking himself to relieve some of this impossible tension he didn't know. But he didn't have permission to do either - only ordered to watch. His breathing had caught when Ichigo cried out, starting to moan out with each successive shaky exhilaration, glassy dark emerald eyes fixated on capturing every action and reaction of the other two gorgeous men. He had no idea his Meister could act this way, be this rough. It was intoxicating and thrilling and he honestly wanted to know what it would feel like, being handled that way. 

Jushiro had expected Ichigo to hold him more tightly against him, at least for a moment, but he hadn’t expected him to be able to  _ keep  _ the pressure constant for so long. Really, Jushiro’s focus at this point was on freeing himself, because Ichigo’s hands on his lower back and arms around his sides were actually becoming painful. So he released the skin of Ichigo’s neck from his mouth, causing the man under him to keen and grind into him, but Ichigo did loosen his hold, even more so than when Jushiro took a hold on his hair. Taking advantage of Ichigo’s pleasure-induced weakness, Jushiro attempted to sit up, entirely overpowering any resistance Ichigo attempted. 

When Jushiro was very nearly completely sitting up straddling Ichigo’s body, Ichigo’s bound wrists were resting rather limply around his neck. The feel of soft white hair under his fingers caused Ichigo to smirk, and he shifted the angle of his hand to catch a good handful and almost immediately apply pressure, not able to truly pull, but enough that he saw Jushiro’s eyes flash down to him with a dangerous glint, all amusement having exited his expression. 

Without a second thought, Jushiro shifted the hand within Ichigo’s hair down to his throat, his palm pressing down just enough on Ichigo’s windpipe that he knew Ichigo could feel the effects, evident by the fact that his entire body went almost completely lax under him. When the fist around his hair loosened, Jushiro’s other hand forcefully brought Ichigo’s bound wrists over his head to press firmly back down to the bed where they belonged, neither hand easing up as Jushiro hovered over his partner. 

He watched as Ichigo’s tension exited his body, the pressure on his neck and the feeling of being restrained the correct way causing him to surrender slowly. “Ichigo, you will  _ not  _ attempt to pull my hair again. My pain tolerance is quite low, so I am only trying to prevent you from accidentally hurting me. I am not angry, and I forgive you for doing it this one time because you didn’t know, but  _ never  _ again, understand?” Jushiro demanded, his tone quiet and calm but holding a harsh edge that told Ichigo he was serious. 

Ichigo nodded, whining a bit and gazing up into stern jade eyes with now slightly glazed amber. “Sorry… Jushiro,” he murmured around the pressure on his throat. It was impossibly sexy, having this man handle him this way, but Ichigo was completely unwilling to hurt him. 

Jushiro’s severe expression broke into a kind smile, and he removed his hand from Ichigo’s throat to bring it to his cheek, his expression softening only more when Ichigo nuzzled his cheek into his palm. “I told you, I forgive you. You didn’t hurt me, don’t worry. Are you ready to be unbound, Ichigo? You were preventing Yukio from completing his task of undressing us, and really you may want to make it up to him by providing him some relief before we begin,” Jushiro suggested, looking over at Yukio, whose desperate state had certainly not improved. 

"Bitte…" Yukio whimpered out. At this point his entire body was trembling with need and the strain of not doing a single thing about it, remaining seated on the edge of the bed. He had started biting his lip again, the old habit releasing a bit of the tension and the slight pain helping to ground him as it usually did. Seeing his partners together - especially watching Jushiro subdue Ichigo in that way - had severely affected him. He was so hard it was almost painful, ignoring it as he had been and not relieving any of the tension. He whimpered again, pleading with darkened, lust-filled emerald eyes, "Bitte, mein Ichigo…" 

Ichigo unthinkingly pulled against the restraints around his wrists, sighing and looking up at Jushiro. “Yeah, I’m ready,” he replied. 

Jushiro quickly untied and released Ichigo’s wrists, leaning down to kiss his cheek before removing his weight from on top of him and settling against the headboard.

Ichigo sat up and crawled over to Yukio, bringing an arm behind his knees and around his back to situate him sitting next to Jushiro, who put an arm around him and held him against his side. Ichigo brought a hand to Yukio’s chin, gently pulling his bottom lip from between his teeth. “Stop biting. I’ve got you, my Yukio,” he said quietly, leaning in to kiss Yukio’s now rather abused lips. He didn’t even wait for a response before he shifted down the bed a bit to lower his head and nearly immediately take Yukio’s straining cock in his mouth, determined to bring him to release as quickly as Yukio would allow.

Yukio groaned deeply in both pleasure and relief. The feeling of Ichigo's mouth around him was amazing and he was already so turned on, he knew he wasn't lasting long. Ichigo really only had to work him for a handful of minutes before he was whimpering with the strain of keeping his hips still, his hands burying into sunset orange hair but not in any way directing Ichigo, only trying to keep himself grounded as he felt himself near the edge, his upper body pressed into Jushiro's side. Yukio's hands clenched a bit in warning, his voice strained as he panted out, "Ichigo… going to… come…"

Ichigo backed off a bit - not fond of the feeling of release being forced directly down his throat - and began a steady pattern sucking on the tip, one of his hands coming up to encouragingly pump the rest of Yukio’s cock that wasn’t in his mouth.

Yukio cried out as he came, the stimulation of Ichigo's hand and mouth sending him over nearly immediately. He kept his hips still but his legs and hands shook through the powerful release and aftershocks, fingers clenching and unclenching repeatedly within Ichigo's hair. As the aftershocks slowly receded, he slumped against Jushiro, his fingers beginning to massage Ichigo's scalp as he regained his breathing and his heart rate began returning to normal. "Danke… Ichigo…" he breathed out, half massaging/half petting his short hair. "Mein Ichigo…" 

Ichigo remained in place for several slow moments even after he had swallowed Yukio’s release and worked him through the aftershocks, regaining his own breath before carefully allowing Yukio’s cock to fall from his mouth and moving to lean into Yukio’s chest. He didn’t put much pressure on the smaller man, but he still shifted to lay against him, Yukio’s legs on either side of him as he relaxed into him. “Love you, my Yukio,” he murmured. 

Yukio sighed happily, his breathing calming fully. He looked down, soft, glassy emerald eyes gazing adoringly at Ichigo as he responded softly, "Love you, mein Ichigo."

Jushiro smiled admiringly at both of them, his hand moving up from Yukio’s shoulder to the side of his head, pulling him over to kiss Yukio’s hair. “Whenever you’re ready, love, you can undress us,” he murmured, his breath disturbing the fine blonde hair against his lips.

Yukio nodded, saying, "I'm gut, Meister." He grinned at Ichigo, patting his head lightly for him to allow him to move. Ichigo traded places with him, though he laid fully down on the bed. Yukio made quick work of undressing him, kissing him sporadically as he exposed more skin. He then helped Jushiro out of his clothes, giving his newly exposed skin the same treatment with light, reverent kisses. Once they were both undressed, Yukio kneeled in front of Jushiro, smiling happily as he waited for any further directions, relieved to  _ finally  _ be able to finish his task. 

Jushiro leaned up to kiss Yukio’s lips lightly, saying, “Thank you, love. You’re actually right where I want you to be,” he said with a smile. He pulled Yukio just a bit closer, settling him between his legs. “I want you to bring me to release with your mouth, love. Take your time, though - you know your mouth feels amazing. I want you to support yourself on your knees during, so Ichigo can take you at the same time, if that’s alright with you both,” he instructed.

Ichigo immediately sat up from where he had been relaxing on the bed, eyes and grin both wide and full of lust. “Hell yeah, I’m okay with that,” he said enthusiastically. 

Jushiro turned jade eyes to meet amber. “Ichigo, you will have to hold Yukio’s hips to keep from jostling him when you thrust into him, understand? We don’t want him to choke or be at all uncomfortable with me in his mouth at the same time,” he said firmly. 

“Of course,” Ichigo agreed, very nearly moving to set himself behind Yukio, but waiting for the other’s response.

"Ja, Meister," Yukio gasped out, a surge of heat overwhelming him at the thought of being filled by both of his gorgeous partners at the same time. "Want to feel you both…" He remained focused on Jushiro, waiting for permission to actually begin, his heart rate already picking up again in anticipation. 

Jushiro brought a hand up to cup Yukio’s cheek, assuring him that he had his attention as he turned jade eyes to Ichigo. “Go on and get on your knees behind him, Ichigo,” he directed before meeting emerald eyes again after he watched Ichigo retrieve Yukio’s prep toy and the lube from the bedside table. “When Ichigo begins preparing you, love, you can take me in your mouth. As I said, take your time. Understand?” he asked.

"Ja, Meister," Yukio responded immediately. He leaned into the hand upon his cheek, bracing his hands upon the bed and getting more properly on his knees for Ichigo, emerald eyes still locked on warm, jade green. 

In his periphery, Jushiro saw Ichigo lubing the toy, but he still didn’t break eye contact with Yukio, neither did he drop his hand from his cheek. “So good for us, sweet Yukio,” he murmured, leaning in to kiss him gently.

Yukio hummed into the gentle kiss, melting against Jushiro's lips, eyes fluttering closed for a moment. As Jushiro withdrew, his eyes opened again, smiling as a gentle warmth flooded him. No matter what was happening, no matter how heated their interactions became, he never once doubted how absolutely loved he was by either of his partners. And he loved that he was able to bring them pleasure, loved being good for them. He nuzzled into Jushiro's hand still upon his cheek, turning to place a kiss against the palm. 

Ichigo watched from behind Yukio, not interrupting their small moment, but when Jushiro pulled away, he ran his hand over the curve of Yukio’s ass, warning him with the end of the toy pressed gently to his entrance. “I’m going to start, Yukio,” he said quietly, the hand that was caressing Yukio’s ass running up his back to bury in soft blonde hair as he leaned slightly over him, bending to kiss Yukio’s shoulder blade. “Hey, Yukio,” he whispered mischievously, “I think you should try to drive Jushiro a little crazy, what do you think?”

"Meister said to take my time, but I believe that I can do both," Yukio responded, just as quietly, turning his head towards Ichigo. He moved his hips back against the toy, his eyes becoming half-lidded and a whine escaping him at the feeling of it against his entrance. He  _ really  _ wanted it inside him, wanted  _ Ichigo  _ inside him, but when Ichigo properly started preparing him he could  _ finally  _ take Jushiro in his mouth. 

Ichigo smiled at Yukio’s desperation and enthusiasm, and he reached for the bottle of lube he had set on the bed next to him. “If it’s okay with Jushiro, and he thinks he can last, you should edge him with prostate massage,” he suggested, placing the lube next to Yukio’s hand that was braced on the bed. Amber eyes moved up to meet jade, that sly smirk still on Ichigo’s lips.

“I suppose I have Shunsui to blame for this,” Jushiro said with a light laugh. He then looked down at Yukio. “You may if you wish, love. It would bring me quite a bit of pleasure, and I am confident that you will edge me correctly. You can do that, can’t you, Yukio?” he asked with a calm smile.

"Ja, Meister," Yukio said, his smile becoming heated. He didn't move to pick up the lube though, waiting on Ichigo to begin so he could, still remembering Jushiro's command. 

Ichigo was aware that Yukio was waiting for him to start, so he gently slid the toy into his body, gently and  _ slowly  _ preparing him, quickly enough that he knew Yukio wouldn’t be frustrated by the pace, but slowly enough that he knew the time it would take would cause Jushiro a bit of a challenge. 

Yukio immediately took the head of Jushiro's cock into his mouth, moaning at the feeling of having something in him from both ends, his hips automatically pressing back a bit on the toy. He grabbed the lube, coating his fingers and pressing upon Jushiro's entrance. Emerald eyes focused upon Jushiro's expression as he very gently pressed in a single finger, his tongue working around his cock as he sucked lightly at the tip. 

Jushiro let out a soft, breathy moan at the feeling of Yukio’s mouth on him and his finger just barely inside him. With a glance at Ichigo, he knew both of them were watching him, and he knew this entire night was by Ichigo’s design. Jushiro supposed, though, instead of  _ blaming  _ his best friend for this, he’d likely be thanking him. He relaxed back against the headboard, jade eyes keeping contact with emerald and darkening with desire at the image of Yukio so eagerly but still gently pleasuring him.

Ichigo was steadily preparing Yukio, but his eyes were focused on Jushiro, just  _ waiting  _ for the moment Yukio progressed far enough to make Jushiro  _ actually  _ react. He couldn’t wait to see the normally calm man arch off the bed in pleasure, probably even cry out Yukio’s name in the process.

As Yukio steadily worked his finger into Jushiro's body, he slowly took more of his cock into his mouth. His finger bottomed out before he had fully taken him into his mouth and he paused, his finger working to stretch Jushiro a bit before he slid in a second finger, sinking down the rest of the way as that finger became completely buried inside as well. 

Yukio held him deep throated in his mouth, his tongue lazily tracing what it could of the shaft as he continued using two fingers to stretch him, swallowing around him as needed. He felt Jushiro relax completely and hooked his fingers, pressing gently upon his prostate and then moving slowly and firmly, massaging. His glassy but focused emerald eyes never once left Jushiro's face, carefully watching his expression. Ichigo preparing him felt good but his own pleasure was completely secondary to him - besides, the toy never filled him the way he wanted, simply a tool to prepare him for what he  _ did  _ want. 

Jushiro had to tighten his hips for only a moment to keep from lifting up into Yukio’s mouth, his breaths becoming sharp and labored. He brought a hand down to thread into Yukio’s hair to ground himself a bit, the gentle but still firm and highly noticeable sensation of his fingers massaging inside him causing him to let his head fall back to rest against the headboard. His shuddering exhales showed just how fragile his control was with such stimulation, and he was glad that Yukio truly did know how to edge him effectively, keeping the actions with his mouth less intense while pressing into such a sensitive area deep within him.

Ichigo was grinning, his own arousal increasing seeing Jushiro actually struggling to keep himself under control. Surely, eventually, he would crack, and that was truly all Ichigo wanted to see - Jushiro coming undone as he had so very rarely in the past. Every reaction from the man was so painfully muted, Ichigo  _ craved  _ hearing him scream in pleasure.

Yukio's stimulation remained steady and constant, delighted to see the effect that he was having on his Meister. He was careful not to alter his motions at all, something within him wanting to see Jushiro slowly become more and more desperate - by  _ his  _ doing. 

He could tell Ichigo was done preparing him with the toy and he started to shift his own hips against it. Whatever Ichigo was waiting on to properly take him Yukio didn't understand, only wanting to be filled by both of them. He was able to gently move, fucking himself on the toy, eyes falling half-lidded but still focused on his Meister. He knew that seeing him do this would usually drive Ichigo to take him, his body so obviously ready and willing. He was essentially teasing both of his partners and the thought only brought him more satisfaction and pleasure. 

Ichigo groaned when Yukio started moving against the toy, knowing exactly what he wanted and fully intending to give it to him. If he was honest, Jushiro’s increasingly heavy breathing and small, barely audible moans were quite distracting. Still, he pulled the toy gently from Yukio’s body and leaned over the smaller man to retrieve the lube, kissing his shoulder and whispering, “You’re doing so well, my Yukio. Making Jushiro feel so good. I’m going to take you now, and I want you to do a little more for Jushiro - I think he can take it.”

Jushiro heard what Ichigo told Yukio to do, and he actually groaned a bit at the words. If Yukio did much more, he truly would be actively holding back, which was fine. He knew it was exactly what Ichigo wanted, and he was willing to indulge him. He was already letting out small sounds with nearly every breath, being incredibly slowly driven to the edge only for Yukio to so perceptibly realize how close he was and ease off of his actions. For Yukio to have had no concept of the term ‘teasing’ when they had first begun this relationship, the man was incredibly skilled at it now.

Yukio hummed around Jushiro in his mouth, and he would have grinned if he could at the older man's reaction. He started swallowing around him more often, becoming more vocal to allow the sound to vibrate around him, and pressing just a fraction more firmly against his prostate as he continued his gentle massage. 

Jushiro gave a sound that was somewhere between a groan and a whine when Yukio increased his efforts. The hand that was threaded into Yukio’s hair began to tremble a bit as he fought the urge to close his fingers around the fine blonde strands. Every time Yukio swallowed around him, his breath hitched, and every time he hummed with satisfaction at his reactions, a sharp heat grew under Jushiro’s skin, building until he was actively keeping his release at bay. The feeling of being suspended on the edge was such pleasurable torture, and he actually hadn’t been forced to hold back like this in quite some time.

Ichigo had snatched up the bottle of lube and slicked his own cock, pleasure coursing through him as he watched Jushiro becoming more open with his responses to Yukio. To ease some of the painful tension in his own body, he positioned himself at Yukio’s entrance and pressed in, immediately beginning a pattern of thrusts that had him sinking a bit deeper each time, holding Yukio’s hips to keep him still as he took him. Ichigo was still quite focused on half-lidded jade eyes, hearing and latching onto every moan and whine Yukio drew from Jushiro.

As Ichigo sunk into him, Yukio moaned loudly around Jushiro. His body accepted him readily and Yukio’s eyes became far more glassy, sinking into a deep subspace being filled so completely by both men as Ichigo bottomed out within him and stilled for a moment. Yukio’s actions became automatic, all thought fleeing him as he continued his constant efforts on Jushiro, though now he really only stopped moaning to breathe and swallow, entirely blissed out between them. 

With Jushiro’s reactions increasing and intensifying, Ichigo’s own arousal was driven only higher, and he groaned heavily as he thrusted steadily into Yukio’s willing body, his hands tight around his narrow hips. Every strained utterance from his older partner had him mirroring with one of his own, and he knew he wasn’t lasting much longer.

Jushiro was being held so close to the edge that he had both hands running through Yukio’s hair, grounding and distracting himself from the incredible pleasure Yukio was bringing him. “So good, love - doing so well for me - always so beautiful, Yukio - gorgeous like this, love,” the praise spilled from his mouth around the tightness in his throat. He again let his head fall back on the headboard, his eyes closing to attempt to breathe through the pleasurable assault he was facing.

Yukio only moaned louder at the praise, his body beginning to shake with his own rapidly building pleasure. As Ichigo began hitting his own prostate with each sure thrust, Yukio’s moans became sharp cries as he held himself back, his actions remaining stubbornly steady to make sure he continued edging Jushiro as he'd been ordered. He was fully reacting now, his mind entirely empty, emerald eyes completely glazed over as he watched Jushiro's expression start to become something truly desperate, a feeling of satisfaction flooding in with the overwhelming pleasure. 

Ichigo was nearing the edge himself, between the feeling of Yukio’s tight body occasionally pulsing around him with his own withheld release and watching Jushiro slowly coming undone - the man now all but limp against the headboard with visibly trembling hands buried in Yukio’s hair. “Fuck, Yukio - feel so good -” his words were cut off when Jushiro actually fully groaned, and Ichigo could see the tension in those hard, lithe muscles of Jushiro’s core as he held back. “Yukio - I’m going to fill you - when I do, press down hard - make him fucking scream - be ready for Jushiro to come down your throat - we’ll both fill you, my Yukio.”

Jushiro gave a sound that was far too close to a whimper at Ichigo’s words, and he felt burning heat building in his core as he was still so deftly edged, holding back and waiting - waiting for that pressure that he  _ knew  _ would do exactly what Ichigo so desperately wanted.

Ichigo actually  _ felt  _ Jushiro’s whimper inundate his entire body, just that sound causing him to groan and thrust a bit more sharply into Yukio’s body. In only a few more deep, rather hard thrusts, he allowed his climax to claim him, bracing one hand on Yukio’s lower back as he buried himself deep and filled Yukio’s small body with his release, darkened amber eyes still watching Jushiro, waiting for Yukio to follow his order, for Jushiro to completely lose all control.

Yukio cried out at feeling Ichigo release within him, automatically following through on what Ichigo had clearly ordered him to do. He didn't back off at all, wanting to feel Jushiro actually come down his throat as Ichigo filled him, now completely confident he wouldn't choke. 

The anticipation of Yukio actually obeying Ichigo’s demand had Jushiro tensing just a bit, his reactions as beyond his own control as they could ever be, which was to say that he was absolutely drowning in pleasure but still very much aware of his surroundings. When he felt Yukio press  _ hard  _ into his prostate, he cried out, the words so contorted in the flood of ecstasy he hoped Yukio understood, “Yukio - come, love - let go -” anything else pinched off in a legitimate strangled scream as the initial wave of pleasure waned into aftershocks that truly weren’t any less intense, especially with Yukio swallowing around him and continuing to press into that incredibly sensitive spot inside him.

Yukio’s own release was such a relief he would have collapsed if not for the task of swallowing and cleaning up Jushiro. He continued to swallow and lick around him until he felt Jushiro begin to soften, slumping forward and resting his cheek upon Jushiro. He simply held him in his mouth as he breathed deeply through his nose, just feeling both men still buried inside him, completely blissed out. 

Ichigo was still supporting Yukio’s hips, keeping himself inside him for as long as possible and taking in every detail of Jushiro so utterly spent, lax against the headboard, hands still shaking as they combed through Yukio’s hair, and panting rather heavily. “Fuck, that’s hot,” he said quietly, incredibly satisfied by hearing that desperate scream that was still echoing in his mind. 

Jushiro gave a chuckle that was more like a heavy sigh as he looked up at Ichigo at his words. “Ichi -” his breath caught when he tried to speak, and this time he did actually chuckle. It had been a while since he couldn’t even afford to attempt to speak between short breaths. He shook his head and took a forcedly deep breath to regain his bearings. “Ichigo,” he addressed properly this time, “Come sit next to me - Yukio can sit in your lap and have his head against my chest. I don’t want him in his own mess.” 

Jushiro then gently coaxed Yukio to release him from his mouth, supporting him as Ichigo pulled out and repositioned to sit against the headboard. Yukio was so incredibly lax in both of their arms that he was all but lying across them, Ichigo allowing him to sit in his lap and Jushiro all but cradling Yukio’s upper body, his head falling against his chest. “You did so well, love. That felt amazing,” Jushiro murmured, gently brushing Yukio’s hair back from his left eye and leaning down to kiss his forehead.

Yukio could only release a pleased sound at Jushiro's words, his mind still silent as he lay slumped against his two partners. His hand found Ichigo's and he sighed in contentment, breathing deeply as his heart rate began to slow and he started to surface from the deep subspace he'd been placed in. 

Ichigo squeezed Yukio’s hand and leaned his head on Jushiro’s shoulder, amber eyes gazing a bit tentatively up at warm jade. “I didn’t… go too far tonight, did I?” he asked quietly. 

Jushiro shook his head, turning to kiss Ichigo’s vibrant orange hair. “Of course not, Ichigo. You presented me with a challenge - more than one, actually - and I quite enjoyed every bit of it,” he replied. With his breathing finally completely under control, he took another deep breath that was actually calming, and brought a hand up to cup Ichigo’s chin - his other arm still supporting Yukio - pressing him back just enough to easily look into his eyes. “I am actually incredibly proud of you, Ichigo.  _ You  _ were tonight’s dominant, after our small mock fight, and you did so amazingly well directing Yukio. I’m grateful that I have you, Ichigo - that Yukio has you as well. You have turned into a highly capable dominant, when you spent the majority of your former sexual encounters in a submissive role, and that is not an easy thing to accomplish,” he said softly, his voice filled with pride and love.

Ichigo felt his cheeks flush slightly at the kind words, and he shifted to pull his chin from Jushiro’s grasp and reclaim his place with his head on his shoulder. “Thank you, Jushiro. I appreciate it. Love you - both of you,” he muttered, bringing Yukio’s hand up to kiss the back of it.

Jushiro kissed Ichigo’s hair again, replying, “Love you, Ichigo.” He then settled back into a rather lax position, only putting in any effort in order to keep Yukio supported. He would be content to stay here forever, both of his precious partners so near.

"Love… you…" Yukio murmured, still mostly out of it but thoughts starting to filter in a bit, fleeting as they were. His still glassy emerald eyes lifted to meet warm amber, smiling serenely at Ichigo, feeling loved, happy, and accomplished at pleasing both of his partners. 

They sat there for several minutes, Jushiro’s now free hand running through Yukio’s hair and Ichigo’s hand holding onto Yukio’s. Ichigo nuzzled his cheek into Jushiro’s shoulder, saying quietly, “Let me keep taking care of you both. When Yukio’s ready, we can all shower before bed.”

Jushiro nodded, smiling down at Yukio, who was surfacing incredibly slowly with the attention he was still receiving. “Does that sound good, love? I’ll carry you and hold you for most of the shower, and Ichigo can take care of us,” he murmured, his voice soft and calm.

"Ja, Meister," Yukio agreed softly, his head tilting back to meet Jushiro's soft jade eyes, smiling in complete contentment. 

Jushiro nodded and leaned down to kiss Yukio’s cheek. He pulled Yukio into his own lap, Ichigo not relenting his grip on Yukio’s hand, following as Jushiro slid off the bed. 

Ichigo stayed ahead of them, stepping into the bathroom before them and leading the way to the shower, turning on the water and waiting for it to warm, occupying his time pressing light, slow kisses to Yukio’s face, occasionally brushing his lips with his own. He gently pulled away, being sure that Yukio was aware of him as he stepped into the shower. He rinsed himself quickly, not truly concerned for himself as much as the other two. 

When Ichigo waved him toward the water’s spray, Jushiro stepped to him, letting it hit Yukio’s body for a bit, allowing the smaller man to relax in the warmth before moving to set him down to allow Ichigo to wash them both. “Ichigo will need you to stand on your own for just a moment. We won’t bother washing your hair tonight, love. Is that alright?” Jushiro asked, keeping his arm around Yukio’s waist, supporting him until he was sure he could support himself.

"Ja, Meister," Yukio responded, standing but leaning into Jushiro. He could stand fine on his own, he just relished in the contact, nuzzling into him and placing gentle kisses against his skin whenever his lips brushed against him. 

Ichigo had reached over to retrieve what he needed to wash his partners - nothing truly so far away that he would be forced to release Yukio’s hand - and rather awkwardly lathered soap into a loofah with one hand, chuckling at himself but not bothered by it at all. He began with Yukio, running the loofah over his skin in a gentle motion, mentally worshiping every inch of his perfect body, not voicing his praise at risk of pulling a more heated reaction from Yukio. His hand - which had released Yukio’s only to touch him elsewhere - followed every action of the loofah, though, and he used the contact to silently show his admiration to his smaller partner. He always loved how responsive Yukio was, moving with even the slightest pressure, without even needing to be verbally directed when he needed him to lift an arm or shift a bit for him to wash Yukio’s skin that was in contact with Jushiro. 

It was a decidedly odd feeling when Ichigo began washing Jushiro, never having actually done this for his other partner. Jushiro was so relaxed, allowing Ichigo to direct him the same way he would Yukio, that it actually made Ichigo’s heart skip. Jushiro truly did trust him immensely, and though this was a small thing, he wasn’t giving a bit of resistance when Ichigo moved him for access to thoroughly wash him. When he was finished, Ichigo kissed Jushiro lightly, the older man reciprocating in such a docile manner that Ichigo actually shook his head and smiled at him. “Love you, Jushiro,” he murmured before coaxing them both back under the water’s flow to rinse them both thoroughly.

With that finished, Ichigo shut off the water and reached out for towels, handing one to Jushiro, who began drying Yukio, before drying himself quickly. He tossed his own used towel out to the hamper and grabbed a fresh one for Jushiro to use on himself, approaching them both as Jushiro was draping Yukio’s towel around his shoulders. “Is it alright if I have you now, Yukio? I’ll pick you up and hold you, and Jushiro will hold your hand when he’s finished drying off, then we’ll all go back to the bedroom together,” Ichigo suggested, his arms wrapping around Yukio from behind and holding him gently against his body, Yukio’s back flush with his front, the only barrier being the towel around Yukio’s shoulders.

Yukio hummed, relaxing back into him, lifting his chin to look up into Ichigo's eyes. "Ja, mein Ichigo," Yukio said, smiling happily. 

Ichigo returned his smile, shifting to lift Yukio into his arms, immediately continuing to lavish his face with light, affectionate kisses. “Love you - so much - my Yukio,” he murmured between the gentle contact, relishing the way Yukio melted into his arms. 

When Jushiro was finished drying himself, he took Yukio’s hand and led Ichigo out, dropping his towel in the hamper on the way by it and continuing through to the bedroom. He smiled when Ichigo paused with him at the dresser to retrieve all of their sleep clothes, which really only consisted of pants for himself and Ichigo and a full set of clothes for Yukio. Jushiro never had slept only partially dressed until he began sleeping with Yukio. Having both Jushiro and Ichigo shirtless was a great comfort to him, being able to nuzzle and kiss their bare skin if he happened to wake in the night and need them. It was a way to ground himself that didn’t require him to do much or wake either of them, and Jushiro was more than willing to indulge him. 

Clothes in hand, he took them to the bed, where Ichigo placed Yukio down on the side of it and plucked his own pants from the bundle of clothing. He quickly pulled them on before helping Yukio into his own clothes, Jushiro letting go of Yukio’s hand just long enough to put his pants on. With all three of them dressed, Ichigo lifted Yukio into his arms briefly while Jushiro pulled the top blanket off of the bed, piling it on the floor to be washed later. It wasn’t particularly cool in the house anyway, it being June, so they wouldn’t miss the extra warmth much anyway. 

Jushiro settled himself sitting near the center of the bed, his legs folded before him, and looked over at Ichigo and Yukio with a soft smile. Without a word, Ichigo slid to sit behind him, Yukio in his lap and his back against the headboard. “I know you wouldn’t sleep well without braiding Jushiro’s hair for him. Are you up for it?” he asked quietly, leaning around to kiss Yukio’s cheek. 

"Ja, always," Yukio responded with a smile, leaning over to grab the comb from the bedside table, beginning his soothing, nightly ritual of brushing through Jushiro's soft, long, snowy white hair. It was slightly damp from the shower but it was so fine that it dried as he slowly and gently worked his way up, starting at the ends as always, pulling apart every knot, being sure the comb never caught or pulled. 

By the time the long hair was brushed through, it was nearly completely dry. Yukio set the comb back down, grabbing a binder and deftly braiding down, binding it at the end. Task complete, he relaxed in Ichigo’s hold, merely petting down the soft braid with his fingers, loving how it felt. 

Jushiro would have allowed Yukio all the time in the world to stroke his hair, but he was actually beginning to nod off with the soothing motion, feeling Yukio’s hand on his back as he ran it down the braid. “Your turn, Yukio. Come sit in front of me,” he said softly, looking over his shoulder. He smiled at both of them, watching as Yukio continued to reach for his hair from what looked to be an extremely comfortable seat in Ichigo’s lap. “Unless you’d like Ichigo to try his hand at it,” Jushiro suggested.

Ichigo chuckled and shook his head. “I don’t know. I mean, I  _ think  _ I know how to braid. When my sisters were little I’d braid their hair when they practically made me. Would you want me to try, Yukio? You can say no, that’s fine. I’m sure Jushiro is better at it than I am,” Ichigo said, wrapping his arms around Yukio and bending to rest his chin on his shoulder.

"You can try, mein Ichigo," Yukio said with a soft giggle, kissing his cheek and turning to face him. He still was gently stroking Jushiro's hair, emerald eyes bright and encouraging as he looked into warm amber. "It's alright if it's a bit messy, I'm only sleeping, after all."

Ichigo shrugged. “Alright, I’ll try,” he said, picking up the comb and gently combing out any tangles, pushing Yukio’s hair back from his face to braid it. When both emerald eyes were staring up at him, though, he had to pause, his smile softening and his free hand coming up to cup Yukio’s cheek. “I know I see you like this every night, but I still think you’re so gorgeous with your hair back,” he said quietly, leaning in to kiss Yukio’s unoccupied cheek.

Yukio leaned into the kiss, his face flushing at the praise, emerald eyes happy and bright. "Danke, Ichigo…" Yukio said softly. "If you… want to practice at home at all, even if it isn't before bed, I would let you braid my hair…"

Ichigo’s smile didn’t falter, only brightening at the offer. “I might take you up on that, especially since it means I get to see you with your hair out of your face more often,” he replied with a light laugh. He then continued his task, gathering Yukio’s hair in both hands before splitting it into three small sections, his fingers a bit clumsy as he attempted to weave them together, frequently chuckling at himself as it took several attempts to even make it lay flat on Yukio’s head. When he finally secured it behind Yukio’s ear, it was a bit sloppy, small pieces sticking out in one particular section that was difficult to handle. “It’s terrible,” Ichigo admitted, running his hand over the braid as if that would make it any better.

Yukio giggled, saying softly, "It's fine. As I said, I'm only sleeping. It will stay out of my face and not snarl if I turn in my sleep. You can practice whenever we're at home with my hair if you want to get better, I don't mind. Feeling it being braided, as anytime you play with my hair, is very soothing to me."

Ichigo smiled and leaned in again to kiss Yukio’s cheek. “Well I’ll do anything if it makes you feel good in any way,” he said quietly. With a rather heavy sigh, he pulled Yukio against his chest again, holding him there and sliding under the blankets to lay down, Jushiro following suit to lay next to them.

Jushiro made sure to have his braid fall over his shoulder to allow Yukio to continue to run his hand over it, smiling at both of them. “I love you both so much,” he murmured, reaching over to kiss Yukio’s forehead and Ichigo’s cheek. “I am quite tired, though, so I know I’ll fall asleep soon. Good night. Sleep well,” he bid them, curling around Yukio the way he always did, loving the feeling of surrounding his smaller partner while Ichigo held him.

“Good night, Jushiro. Love you,” Ichigo replied, extending a hand to cup Jushiro’s cheek, caressing his skin with his thumb and allowing him to nuzzle his cheek into his hand and turn to kiss his palm before withdrawing.

"Gute nacht, Meister, mein Ichigo. Love you," Yukio said softly, snuggling into Ichigo's chest, loving the feeling of both of his partners so close. A fleeting thought made him giggle, saying aloud, "You know, mein Ichigo, you're going to have to thank Shunsui."

Ichigo laughed, trying not to be too loud so near to Yukio’s ear. “Oh, you mean for the advice? I’m sure the whole house  _ heard  _ what happened. He’ll probably just congratulate us in the morning,” he teased, still laughing when Jushiro’s cheeks  _ actually  _ gained a light dusting of pink at the comment.

Yukio giggled again, "Ja, that's true - not even Meister was quiet. I'm sure Toshiro put on music or something though, he said he's been doing that for a while. Neither he nor Ulquiorra  _ want  _ to hear. But Shunsui likely did. And that sounds exactly like what he'd do."

Jushiro chuckled and shook his head. “Ichigo wasn’t accepting failure tonight, that’s for sure. Between  _ making  _ me subdue him and then having you nearly drive me insane, love, he was determined to get a more intense reaction from me somehow. And I won’t hear the end of it from Shunsui for a while if he  _ did  _ hear,” he said amusedly.

“Hey, that fight was fun and you know it. I might have to do it more often,” Ichigo shot back teasingly. 

“Well, give me some time to recover in between. You know I’m not nearly as rambunctious as the two of you,” Jushiro insisted with a fond smile.

“Of course. It wouldn’t be a challenge if you were worn out,” Ichigo replied, chuckling a bit.

“You two have worn me out tonight, certainly. I can hardly hold my eyes open,” Jushiro admitted, snuggling in a bit closer until his face was only inches from Ichigo’s, his chin nearly resting on the top of Yukio’s head.

“Alright. Get some sleep, Jushiro,” Ichigo whispered, still smiling but his tone was low and gentle. He leaned in to kiss Jushiro softly before settling in around Yukio, giving a content sigh. “Love you, my Yukio,” he finally replied from before.

Yukio hummed in contentment, completely at peace, happy, warm, and loved. He didn't even care in this moment if Shunsui did comment in the morning.  _ He _ was grateful to him. For sharing his knowledge, yes, but also for being such a good friend to his Meister and father figure to Toshiro. He was also excited for tomorrow - not only going to a real arcade but doing so with a real group of friends. With  _ family.  _

Nothing could diminish the smile that settled upon his face, the expression remaining long after sleep claimed his mind. 


	3. Theta

Jushiro had to contain a groan to a small grunt as he shifted in bed, and he sighed when he realized just how  _ sore  _ he was. He hadn’t been  _ that  _ tense for so long in quite some time. When he finally opened his eyes, he realized the sun had barely fully risen, evident by the yellow tone of the light coming in through the thin curtains, so it was still quite early. He smiled, though, when he looked over to find Ichigo still holding Yukio securely against him, both still sleeping peacefully. 

He grimaced a bit when it actually hurt to bring his arm up to rest it across his forehead. Shunsui would certainly have something to say about this.  _ Maybe  _ he wouldn’t be awake yet when they all surfaced, and Jushiro could avoid the inevitable conversation before he had to get to work at ten o’clock. He chuckled a bit at the thought. If there was anything he knew about Shunsui, he knew the man would lose sleep if it meant spending time with Toshiro when he visited. He would just nap when they got home from the arcade if he was still tired. So, the possibility of avoiding him was slim.

Resigned to his fate, Jushiro sat up, quietly taking a notepad and pen from his bedside table and writing out a note for Yukio, telling him he would be in either the kitchen or dining room so he wasn’t concerned when he woke and he wasn’t there. He left the note on his pillow so Yukio would see it, not even bothering to unbraid his hair before silently getting out of bed and exiting the room, being sure the door didn’t make any sound as he closed it behind him.

There was no sign of Shunsui in the living room, but Jushiro didn’t count his victory quite yet, continuing through to the kitchen. He tried to hide the fact that his legs were stiff as he walked, but he knew Shunsui was more observant than he let on, and he would see every bit of evidence of the previous night’s activities in a single glance. When he reached the kitchen, he looked through to the dining room, where Shunsui was sitting at the table with a book in hand, not having looked up yet. Jushiro began preparing tea before he greeted him, and as he scooped tea leaves into the diffuser, he gave a quiet, “Good morning, Shunsui.”

Shunsui chuckled, watching his old friend move a bit gingerly as he prepared tea, "I'm not sure about the morning yet, but you certainly seemed to have a good night. Those two really worked you over, didn't they? You're definitely sore - and I don't know who was louder last night, you or the little one. Though he sounded quite a bit muffled - wonder why…"

Jushiro choked out a laugh.  _ “You  _ were supposed to be asleep. Just how closely were you listening?” he asked, intentionally not addressing anything Shunsui had pointed out.

"I gave up on sleeping until you all were done fairly rapidly. So I was reading. Kind of. Eventually I gave up on that and tried to imagine what had to be happening that matched what I was hearing. I'm certain I was far more creative than what actually occurred, however. Which would be a shame. In my defense, I wasn't  _ trying _ to listen - obviously none of you were  _ trying  _ to be quiet though, either."

Jushiro turned away, back to the water that was heating on the stove, realizing that he was certainly blushing at least a bit. “You gave Ichigo far too many ideas last night, though I’m curious what you  _ imagined  _ was happening,” he teased, still watching the steam that was slowly increasing in volume as it wisped out from the spout of the kettle.

"To make you lose control like that? I figured they'd ganged up on you. 'Lil Yukio obviously had someone in his mouth - I figured that was likely you. Even if he really is as amazing as Ichigo claims though, that wouldn't have been enough to make you cry out like that. So I figured Ichigo was probably massaging your prostate somehow before finally taking you. The way Yukio sounded, he was definitely also being stimulated…

"By the end I figured you were in a sixty nine with Yukio, him above you while he sucked you and Ichigo massaged your prostate before properly fucking you. You weren't muffled though, so I figured you were using a toy to stimulate Yukio - he's so much shorter a proper sixty nine would be awkward anyway but you could easily fuck him with a toy and use your hand on his cock. He sounded like he was being edged a bit too; I bet you both made him wait to come until you did. Poor thing probably came all over your chest before collapsing on his own mess when he finally had permission. I thought I heard you tell him to come - does he ever do so without permission? Because that's ridiculously hot."

Jushiro was blushing more than a bit by the time Shunsui finished speaking, having rather shakily poured the hot water into the teapot to start the tea steeping. “I am not going into detail - though I wouldn’t doubt it if Ichigo does when he wakes up because he’s probably ridiculously pleased with himself - but I will tell you that you’re almost entirely wrong about  _ all  _ of that. Your imagination certainly did run away with you,” he said, still not meeting Shunsui’s eyes. A small smile did sneak onto his lips, though, as he added, “No, Yukio doesn’t do anything without permission, and when we’re in intimate situations he rarely even  _ asks _ to do anything - he leaves everything entirely up to me or Ichigo.”

"That sounds both hot and exhausting to me, having to direct someone to that degree," Shunsui said, shaking his head. "Definitely not something I'm remotely cut out for. But then, I've never wanted to direct anyone to do anything. Way too much energy. I'd rather be directed, if anything. Maybe I'll listen. Maybe I'd have to be convinced into listening. But not directing someone else. You must not have a problem though. You enjoy being his master, don't you? You're far more… settled. More confident and relaxed."

Jushiro poured himself a cup of tea and joined Shunsui at the table with a light sigh. “I was doubtful at first. I was going to give Yukio some time, see if  _ he  _ seemed to want me to be his master anyway. I was fooling myself, really. At the very least, he saw me as a capable dominant - or his mind did - within the first hour of meeting me. To think he wouldn’t accept me as his master was ridiculous. It was more my own lack of belief that I could actually  _ do  _ it. 

“It took a bit of time, reading his reactions, learning from Ichigo and even Toshiro how to react to him, how to phrase questions, when to ask and when to just direct. It was admittedly a large adjustment, but Yukio was very patient with me, and now that it’s been nearly six months, I feel like I’ve been doing it my whole life. Caring for him is second nature, and it keeps my thoughts occupied and focused on  _ him  _ and what he needs from me instead of inviting any stress into my mind. He is very easy to love, easy to care for, and he channels my dominant mindset in a way that I never thought would actually ground me the way it has. So yes, I do enjoy being his master, and I very much enjoy being with  _ both  _ of them, as they’ve both brought something unique into my life that I never knew I was missing,” Jushiro concluded. He felt that he was rambling again, letting his thoughts flow freely, but he knew Shunsui wouldn’t mind. 

Shunsui grinned, saying, "Do I dare ask what Ichigo brought to your life that was missing? Obviously whatever happened last night wasn't Yukio’s idea…"

Jushiro very nearly choked on his sip of tea laughing at his friend’s assumption. “Not everything is about sex, Shunsui,” he said with a chuckle. “Ichigo is pleasant to be with in any context. His constant energy keeps things a bit unpredictable, but he can calm down, and does so quite frequently. We actually spent much of the first month they lived here sitting in the library together reading and talking. And he loves Yukio and picks up where I may need him. Ichigo really has so many redeeming qualities.”

A sudden kiss on his cheek caused Jushiro to jerk rather violently, as he hadn’t heard anyone approach from behind him. “Love you, too, Jushiro,” Ichigo murmured, bringing an arm around Jushiro’s shoulders and hugging him briefly. “I’m glad you had put your tea down before I did that,” he added with a chuckle. 

Jushiro turned to him and smiled, finding Yukio under his other arm. “How long have you two been eavesdropping?” he asked amusedly. 

“Oh, just that last bit about how awesome I am,” Ichigo replied, pulling out Yukio’s usual seat at the table - next to Jushiro - and sitting in it before pulling Yukio into his lap.

Jushiro laughed. “Well, none of it was untrue. You are both quite incredible,” he replied, holding his hand out on the table for Yukio to take before adding quietly, “Good morning, Yukio.”

"Guten morgen, Meister," Yukio responded just as quietly. Emerald eyes met soft jade as he smiled, taking Jushiro's hand and holding it gently, the contact always relaxing him. 

"Good morning you two," Shunsui greeted. He then grinned at Ichigo, saying, "I couldn't get any real details out of Juu about last night and he says what I imagined was entirely wrong. He  _ also _ mentioned I may be able to get those details out of you - apparently you have cause to brag?" 

Ichigo perked up instantly, glancing around the room for a moment. “Oh, this is perfect. Toshiro and Ulquiorra aren’t out here. And really,  _ I  _ don’t have much right to brag - I’ll be bragging on Yukio for most of this. Is that alright, Yukio? I mean, if I’m telling him, I have to tell him what you did, since you really did most of the work,” he said, looking down at Yukio, amber eyes clearly reflecting his excitement to recount the story.

Seeing the genuine excitement in Ichigo's warm amber eyes and expression, Yukio caved instantly, giving a small nod. "Ja… That's alright…" He could already feel his face heating and he buried it against Ichigo's chest, not wanting to watch Shunsui’s expression as Ichigo told him what had happened. 

“Thank you, my Yukio,” Ichigo said softly, kissing his soft blonde hair and holding him a bit tighter to his chest, already highly amused that Yukio was embarrassed before he even began. “Well, first - this part has very little to do with Yukio - I got myself into some trouble, purposely of course, and made Jushiro pin me. I made him fight for it, too. That was better than  _ anything  _ rough I’ve ever done before, and we still had our clothes on,” he began, glancing over at Jushiro, who was simply smiling as he sipped his tea.

“Ichigo, you have quite a way to go to compete with Shunsui in giving a fight like that. I suppose you can have a retry some other time, but that was very little of a challenge, comparatively speaking,” Jushiro said calmly.

Ichigo gawked at the comment. “I had  _ you  _ pinned to  _ me  _ at one point,” he pointed out exasperatedly. 

Jushiro shrugged. “Yes, but it only took me one failed attempt to finally make you release me,” he replied.

"Only one failed attempt?" Shunsui asked, "Ha! Amateur." Shunsui was grinning openly, leaning back in his chair. 

“But - I - fine,” Ichigo groaned, resigning to the teasing. “It doesn’t matter, it was hot as hell having him grab me like that and pin me. For a second, though, I thought I actually made him mad. I tried to pull his hair and he just snapped,” he added, still feeling a bit guilty for taking his mock fight so far.

“It was fine, Ichigo, I told you. You didn’t hurt me,” Jushiro assured him.

"I'm surprised you didn't tell them before that you have a hard limit on your hair being pulled," Shunsui commented. "The trick is - you don't actually  _ pull,  _ Ichigo. If you grab Juu's hair but don't actually cause any pain, just hold it, he gets extremely defensive and worked up, but not actually angry in any way 'cause that doesn't violate the limit. Juu actually likes his hair touched gently, but the threat of something more aggressive makes him more aggressive and dominant in response," Shunsui explained with a wink towards Ichigo. 

Jushiro chuckled and shook his head. “That is essentially what happened, anyway. With Ichigo’s wrists bound he wasn’t able to  _ actually  _ pull my hair. And as for not telling them, Yukio had always been so gentle with my hair, and Ichigo hadn’t shown any interest in rough play before. I have so few limits, I sometimes forget to mention them, honestly, especially with people I trust. They know now, and Ichigo never actually violated it in the first place,” he said, smiling toward Ichigo.

Ichigo returned his grin, but very much internalized this new bit of information Shunsui had given him. Yukio was right - eventually, he would have to thank him. “I wasn’t the only one that enjoyed Jushiro being rough, though, huh Yukio?” Ichigo said with a chuckle, remembering just how desperate for relief Yukio had been just watching the two of them struggling for dominance - fully clothed, at that.

Yukio looked up at him, his face flush as he murmured, "You're both incredibly sexy and gorgeous together, no matter what you do… But seeing Meister so forceful, and you clearly enjoying it, of course I enjoyed watching that." The entire exchange had been ridiculously hot. There was no way Yukio had it in him to actually disobey like Ichigo had, or even play fight successfully. But he couldn't help but yearn to be treated similarly, at least once, to know if it felt to him as amazing as it clearly did to Ichigo. 

Shunsui laughed, saying, "I knew you could get them both worked up that way, Juu."

Jushiro laughed lightly in response. “Whatever the two of them want, I truly can’t deny them, as long as it’s within my capabilities,” he admitted, squeezing Yukio’s hand and giving him a soft smile.

“Okay, back to the story, though,” Ichigo cut in. “That wasn’t even the good part. So, after I relieved Yukio - because, yes, he was  _ that  _ worked up watching - it was Jushiro’s idea to have Yukio use his mouth on him while I prepped and took Yukio. Well, after what you told me about Jushiro and prostate massage, I wasn’t letting him get off that easy. So I had Yukio  _ really  _ use his mouth on him and add in a nice, long prostate massage while I took my time prepping Yukio. By the time I even got around to taking Yukio, Jushiro was moaning and shaking and it was sexy as hell,” he said in a low, rather heated voice as he looked over at Jushiro, who was attempting to hide his blush behind his tea cup.

Shunsui sighed, a teasing tone in his voice as he said, "Alas, far more tame than I imagined, as I thought - although I was completely correct about 'lil Yukio here using his mouth on you, Juu. So I wasn't  _ entirely  _ wrong."

“I said you were  _ almost  _ entirely wrong,” Jushiro reminded him. “And I apologize that our private activities don’t live up to your expectations,” he added, throwing Shunsui a sharp look that immediately turned teasing.

"I'm sure all I'd need to do is tell Ichigo. Hey! I should do that, Ichigo, send you ideas," Shunsui said, smirking, eyes flickering between Jushiro and Ichigo. 

Jushiro sighed and let his face fall into his hand seeing the bright smile on Ichigo’s face. “Shunsui, I am older than I used to be. Please spread these ideas out over a reasonable amount of time,” he insisted, his voice a bit muffled by his hand.

Shunsui hummed, still smirking, "Ichigo, how long would you say is a 'reasonable amount of time'?" 

“Hmm…” Ichigo considered for a moment, highly amused by Jushiro’s almost pleading look as he dropped his hand to the table. “I think he could handle something new twice a week,” he decided.

Jushiro shook his head in complete denial. “No, once a week at most. Obviously I’m not saying we wouldn’t do anything else, but with Shunsui being behind these ideas, I would like to properly recover in between,” he insisted.

Yukio actually looked over to Jushiro at the statement, his emerald eyes holding a bit of concern as he squeezed his hand. 

Jushiro’s attention was immediately claimed when Yukio squeezed his hand, and he offered Yukio a soft smile. “Are you worried about  _ me,  _ love? I’ll be alright. I trust Ichigo to not take this too far if Shunsui does decide to actually send him ideas,” he assured him.

Yukio smiled, resting his head back against Ichigo’s chest, eyes remaining locked on Jushiro. 

Shunsui chuckled, saying, "Thirty-six isn't  _ that  _ old, Juu. And don't worry, Yukio, I'd never suggest anything that Jushiro wouldn't actually enjoy - and be actually able to do." Shunsui grinned at Jushiro again, saying, "I think you just need the exercise - you used to wear  _ me  _ out."

Jushiro laughed at that, though he was still nodding in agreement. “That is true, but it has been four  _ years  _ since I had you for a partner - which means four years without a partner at all - and now I have  _ two  _ to keep up with. Given time I’ll be able to give Ichigo an even better fight, I’m certain,” he said, still giving Shunsui an amused smile.

Shunsui winked at Ichigo, saying, "We'll start slow then, get him back in shape."

Ichigo laughed, holding Yukio a bit closer and tilting his chin down to kiss the top of Yukio’s head. “You really think I would do that to Jushiro? I just want to hear him scream like he did last night -  _ all the time,”  _ he said, teasing with a bit of heat in his tone as he ducked his head a bit further to litter light kisses over Yukio’s neck.

Yukio blushed, tilting his head automatically to allow Ichigo to do as he wanted, giggling at the slightly ticklish, warm feeling at the light kisses. 

A finger tapped on Ichigo's shoulder, Toshiro’s voice saying, "Do you want breakfast or should we go back to our room so you can continue?" 

Ichigo didn’t startle at all at the touch, but when he heard the voice attached to it, he immediately jerked up from Yukio’s neck. “Oh, you two slept late,” he said with heavy teasing still in his voice. He glanced past Toshiro to see Ulquiorra already working on a pot of coffee. “We didn’t keep you up, did we? I mean,  _ I  _ wasn’t the one making all the noise, so really I’m apologizing for Yukio and Jushiro. I’m sure they’re both very sorry.”

“We  _ will  _ leave you to fend for yourself, Ichigo, and I’m sure with comments like that Yukio and Jushiro won’t be nearly so accommodating to cook for you,” Ulquiorra commented just loudly enough to be heard from the nearby kitchen. 

“Okay, okay, that was the last one, sorry. I can’t help myself sometimes,” Ichigo said, chuckling a bit and waving off Ulquiorra’s harsh tone.

“As we are well aware,” Ulquiorra muttered, Ichigo barely catching his words.

Toshiro smiled at Yukio, running a hand through his hair, saying softly, "We would never blame you, Yukio. That would be silly, you're only doing as directed. And I would never blame you for doing well whatever uncle or Ichigo asks of you." Toshiro’s eyes turned to Ichigo, smirking,  _ "You,  _ however, I can definitively blame. However, we had the music on fairly loud in our room, so didn't actually hear anything anyway."

Ichigo let out a small laugh. “Must have been some really loud music to drown out  _ all  _ of that. But yes, I suppose you can blame me if you want. Not like I’m ashamed of it. I definitely told Yukio to do every single bit of it,” he said with a wide grin, then turning his attention to Yukio. “You know I was just messing with them, right? There’s nothing wrong with anything you did last night - you were perfect for us all night,” he said, his tone calming considerably. 

"Danke," Yukio said softly, his smile a bit shy as he looked up at Ichigo. He  _ was  _ actually very relieved that they hadn't disturbed either Toshiro or Ulquiorra, even if they wouldn't have blamed him. He didn’t like making them at all uncomfortable. 

Toshiro ran his fingers through Yukio’s hair once more, smiling fondly before turning to go to the kitchen, calling behind him, "We'll make breakfast. Even for you, Ichigo."

“Oh, thanks,” Ichigo called back rather sarcastically. He laughed at Ulquiorra’s unamused glare and added genuinely, “Thank you, really. I do appreciate you guys always doing things for me.” His smile tamed when that earned him a noticeable softening of Ulquiorra’s expression. 

"You and Shiro seem to have an interesting relationship, Ichigo," Shunsui said, chuckling. "I don't know if I've ever seen him tease anyone other than me that way."

Ichigo laughed, watching Toshiro and Ulquiorra working in the kitchen. “Hell, I didn’t know he  _ could  _ be any other way until he talked to Yukio all sweet the way he does. He’s teased me since the minute we met. You’ll have to ask him  _ why  _ he does, because I can’t figure him out, honestly. We’re always messing around when we play racquetball together. He’s just always like that with me,” he replied. Ichigo actually loved his relationship with Toshiro. He at least knew he would never offend him. There was very little that could get under Toshiro’s skin, so it was actually  _ fun  _ to banter with him no matter the subject matter.

"Toshiro never really seemed to have actual friends, just acquaintances or classmates he was mostly cold towards. It's really nice to see him get along so well with the two of you," Shunsui commented, smiling as he watched Toshiro work in the kitchen as well. He really did consider Toshiro his son, as relaxed as their relationship was. He was incredibly proud of the man he'd become, happy that he now had several people he clearly cared about that treated him well and cared for him in return.

Jushiro couldn’t agree more - watching Ichigo and Yukio take so well to Toshiro and Ulquiorra was more than he ever could have asked for. They truly were a family, and it warmed Jushiro’s heart every time he saw them bickering and laughing and just  _ being together.  _

* * *

That was two weeks ago. The five of them had gone to the arcade while Jushiro - begrudgingly - had to go to work. Not that he would have actually done anything at the arcade other than watch the others play games and occasionally try his hand at one himself, but he had been a bit more impatient for his shift to end and the night shift to arrive that day. 

And then he had arrived at home to a rather shocking gift - an enormous stuffed dog that had its own seat on the couch. 

Jushiro had to laugh at the image of Yukio cuddled into it with his legs over Ichigo’s lap. Ichigo had said they  _ had  _ to earn enough tickets between the five of them to win it, because of its comically large, pleading eyes that were exactly the same color as Yukio’s and the rest of it was a tan color that was just barely darker than the color of Yukio’s hair. Jushiro had to admit, the adorable stuffed animal and Yukio had their similarities, and the small man looked incredibly comfortable using it as a body pillow. So now it had its own place in the living room, which Jushiro didn’t mind at all. 

Surely it reminded Yukio of more than just the fun he had at the arcade. Ichigo had told Jushiro that Yukio had been incredible the entire day, openly laughing and not at all the shy, insecure man he had met years ago. Yukio had grown by leaps and bounds, and Ichigo couldn’t seem to thank Jushiro enough for what he and Toshiro had done for him. So, that giant stuffed dog would probably have a permanent place in the family now, just to remind Yukio - and everyone else - how far he had come. 

That particular day, even two weeks later, Yukio was lounging on said stuffed animal with his legs over Ichigo’s lap when Jushiro emerged from the library, a single piece of paper in hand. He sat down on the loveseat opposite the couch the other two were spread out on and placed the paper on the table between them. “I know we’ve discussed all of this already, but I always make an effort to write these things out so that we’re all completely clear on what will happen. If either of you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to voice them,” he said, his voice finding that soft calm that he knew kept Yukio at ease. 

Yukio glanced between Jushiro and Ichigo, and when Ichigo made no move towards the paper, only smiling encouragingly at him, he leaned forward and took the sheet of paper. He diligently read through it, blushing nearly immediately, heart rate picking up in anticipation. Jushiro had already been thorough talking this - which would be their first real, planned sexual  _ scene  _ \- through with the both of them. Yukio was only excited at this point, saying softly as he held out the paper for Ichigo to take, "I'm gut, Meister."

Ichigo nearly immediately tossed the paper back on the table, giving Jushiro a wide smile. “I’m good,” he said confidently.

Jushiro sighed and shook his head. “You’re  _ sure,  _ Ichigo?” he asked insistently. 

“Yes, Jushiro. I did listen when we were talking about it,” Ichigo replied, equally serious. 

“Alright, then if you’re both ready, we can go down to the playroom,” Jushiro said, turning his eyes to Yukio. Truly, just like everything else new, this was entirely up to Yukio’s pace.

"I'm ready, Meister," Yukio said with a shy smile. He got up from where he was sitting and walked over to stand beside Jushiro, reaching out and combing through his soft, long hair with his fingers, the action always incredibly soothing for them both. He really was looking forward to this. "I know I'm to immediately tell you if I'm at all uncomfortable with anything. And I will." It had been an order and Yukio took that very seriously, knowing he wouldn't disappoint either partner if he needed a break or to stop any particular activity. 

Jushiro smiled at Yukio, leaning a bit into his hand in his hair. “I know, love,” he said softly, taking Yukio’s hand from his hair to hold it in his own as he stood. He held his free hand out to Ichigo, who gave him a smile and took his hand to allow him to lead them both downstairs to the playroom.

The room was already prepared for the scene, the main difference being the two chairs in the center of the room, what would seem to be the backs facing each other. Jushiro approached them, taking Yukio to one and Ichigo to the other. “I need you both to remove your shirts,” he instructed. He chuckled a bit when Ichigo was quick and eager to do so, that same enthusiastic smile still on his face.

Yukio removed his own shirt as well, his shy smile still present but he no longer felt at all self conscious with any part of his body on display for his partners. He directed his eyes back to Jushiro as he awaited further instruction, excitement building within him just thinking back on what that innocent piece of paper had outlined. 

“Go on and position yourselves the way I showed you before - your knees in the seat, chest against the back, and arms rested on the top. I intentionally placed these this way so that the two of you can always see each other and see me when I move to the other. If anything is uncomfortable, tell me and we can make adjustments,” Jushiro continued, his voice rather flat and instructional, being sure that both of his partners understood that this was not something to take lightly. Improper positioning and discomfort could cause tension, which would lead to undesirable pain when he actually began the impact play.

Ichigo did as he was told, shifting on his knees to comfortably lean over to rest his arms on the back of the chair, adrenaline flooding him just thinking about what Jushiro was about to do. He was fairly certain he knew what his reaction would be to this, having at least experienced it to some degree. But having Jushiro perform it, with a tool, was honestly completely different. 

Yukio positioned himself as well as he remembered Jushiro instructing him before, getting as comfortable as possible. His heart was honestly beating so loud, excitement humming through him, that he was amazed the sound wasn't audible in the otherwise silent room. Emerald eyes locked on Ichigo as he faced him, bringing his bottom lip to worry between his teeth without thinking, the tension getting to him but determined to remain still. 

Ichigo reached across to Yukio, offering him a hand, his elbow still rested on the back of the chair, close enough that if Yukio did the same, he could reach him. “Don’t bite your lip through this, Yukio. If you do, you  _ will  _ make it bleed. Take my hand, and squeeze it instead when you feel like you need an outlet for the tension,” Ichigo insisted.

Yukio immediately reached out to take Ichigo's hand, releasing his lip from between his teeth. He gave Ichigo a relieved smile, squeezing his hand as he settled a bit more, the direct contact with Ichigo helping to ground him. He felt much of the tension leave him, far more calm holding Ichigo's hand. 

Jushiro had been looking over their posture and positioning as Ichigo spoke, smiling at just how much Yukio clearly calmed with Ichigo’s contact. He made a few minor adjustments to the way they were bracing themselves - moving Ichigo’s knees forward a bit and reminding Yukio to keep his back straight - before stepping back from them and assessing them one last time. “Are you both comfortable?” he asked, just to be sure and have verbal confirmation.

“I’m good, Jushiro,” Ichigo replied, knowing he would want something other than a snippy remark in return to his question.

"Gut, Meister," Yukio responded, looking towards Jushiro and smiling. 

Jushiro returned Yukio’s smile, stepping to stand behind him and beginning to soothingly run his hands over his back, feeling the muscles and bones beneath his rather delicate-seeming skin. His hands moved in a light massage, attempting to desensitize Yukio to touch, because he was certainly tensing with every movement of his hands at the moment. “Calm, love. I need you completely relaxed,” Jushiro said softly, still running his hands over Yukio’s back, occasionally leaning in to kiss his shoulders.

"Sorry, Meister," Yukio said softly. "I'm just really excited and even just that feels good - I want to lean towards your touch like I always do. I'll try to relax though…" Yukio took a steadying breath, squeezing Ichigo's hand as he allowed his eyes to close. He forced himself to still and calm, knowing that's what his master required of him. It was certainly difficult but as he focused on breathing deep and slow, he did relax more. He still leaned a bit into Jushiro's touch but he was no longer tensing. 

“Good, Yukio,” Jushiro praised quietly, continuing to run his hands over Yukio’s back, now not only being sure Yukio would remain relaxed but also mapping out his body, identifying places that wouldn’t cause actual damage when struck. There truly weren’t many places, but with the precision of a crop, Jushiro knew he could easily take advantage of the small areas he did have - the gap between his shoulder blades and spine, and run the crop down his body to follow through, his own accuracy not allowing it to contact Yukio’s spine or ribs at all as it traveled down. 

When he was sure of what his approach would be with his smaller partner, Jushiro wrapped one arm around him, holding him to him in a brief hug and leaning to kiss his hair. “I love you, Yukio. Stay relaxed for me while I do the same to Ichigo, alright?” he murmured.

"Ja, Meister," Yukio responded, his eyes opening to watch, his tone relaxed and bright. 

After another light kiss to Yukio’s hair, Jushiro moved around to Ichigo, who already seemed quite calm, though that poise was obviously only on the surface, as he tensed quite immediately when Jushiro touched him. Jushiro chuckled a bit, continuing to do to Ichigo as he had to Yukio, lightly massaging and studying every bit of chiseled muscle that slowly ceased to tighten under his hands the more he ran his hands over his back. Ichigo’s larger body was structured entirely differently than Yukio’s, more muscle covering the bones, though Jushiro still didn’t want to intentionally aim for anything sensitive like the tops of his shoulder blades or his ribs. Still, he was confident that he could more easily hit several places that would produce the right kind of pain. 

He trailed his hand up to bury in Ichigo’s hair as he stepped around to stand next to the chairs again, bringing his other hand up to thread through Yukio’s hair. “I’m going to first simply do the same thing - light touches - with the crop, on both of you. I know you’ve both handled it before, but you need to know what it feels like on your back before I begin with actual strikes. Understand?” 

“Yes, I understand,” Ichigo replied, leaning into Jushiro’s hand in his hair but otherwise staying completely relaxed, the sensation of anticipation and Jushiro’s confident direction actually working to pull him into a light sense of surrender before the crop even touched him.

"Ja, Meister," Yukio responded softly, his eyes fluttering closed again, focusing on keeping calm as excitement coursed through him. He squeezed Ichigo's hand again, so glad to have that grounding contact with his other partner, being able to know he was there even with his eyes closed. 

Jushiro picked up the crop, having propped it against the chair Ichigo occupied while he was setting up the room, and walked around behind Yukio again, keeping contact and trailing his hand down to Yukio’s shoulder from his hair. He slowly pulled away completely, watching intently for any tension in Yukio’s back as he touched the crop to the skin next to his shoulder blade. There was a slight twitch, but that was to be expected, so he proceeded to trail the leather end of the crop down Yukio’s back, pulling away when he reached just above his ass. He did the same thing several times on both sides of Yukio’s body, working out the tension and surprise that resulted from the unexpected contact each time he brought it back down from pulling away.

Yukio hummed at the feeling, relaxing more, his eyes still closed and his hand still holding Ichigo's as a grounding contact. It honestly felt like he was being pet with the soft leather, causing tingles in its wake. He kept his breathing deep and slow, even as his heart rate picked up in anticipation. 

Ichigo watched as Jushiro ran the crop over Yukio’s body, just the sight of Jushiro so focused but still gentle with the action sending shivers down his spine. He knew he would have to remain relaxed, though, so he channeled out the tension the anticipation was causing, squeezing Yukio’s hand and taking deep breaths as Jushiro finished with Yukio, leaning over his small body and kissing his shoulder blade before rounding the chairs to stand behind Ichigo.

Jushiro gently brought the end of the crop to the same place he had touched Yukio, repeating the same pattern. Ichigo’s chiseled muscles twitched and rippled under the crop, and Jushiro gently reminded him, “Stay relaxed, Ichigo. I truly don’t want to hurt you. Breathe deeply, focus on Yukio, let the contact ground you.” As he continued, he saw and felt Ichigo complying to his instructions, his back relaxing more with every pass of the crop over his skin, even his grip on Yukio’s hand loosening a bit between them. 

Yukio had opened his eyes to watch Jushiro with Ichigo, smiling and having to resist giggling softly as Ichigo reacted even more strongly than he had. He squeezed his hand back in encouragement though, knowing how difficult staying relaxed through the anticipation really was. "I'm here, mein Ichigo," Yukio said softly, smiling warmly at Ichigo. It was undeniably sexy, seeing Jushiro run the crop over Ichigo's hard, defined muscles. But Yukio was more concerned with  _ being there _ for Ichigo, helping to ground him, as Jushiro had instructed Ichigo to focus on him to do so. 

Jushiro smiled at Yukio, incredibly proud of him for actually working to ground Ichigo through this. Yukio was so much more confident than he used to be, and that fact was really the only reason Jushiro was remotely willing to divide his attention this way. When he was sure that Ichigo was relaxed, he moved around to stand next to them again, saying in the same clear, instructional tone, “We will use the color system through this entire session. After each strike, I will ask for a color, and you will respond with green, yellow, or red. Green means you want me to increase the strength of the next strike. Yellow means you have hit your threshold and want me to continue at that strength. Red means I will stop with you entirely. I will alternate strikes, performing one to Yukio first before moving to Ichigo and dealing the same strike to him. If one of you calls red, I will stop with you and continue with the other until he calls red. Do you both understand?”

“Yes, Jushiro,” Ichigo replied, remaining completely relaxed despite the fact that he was actually very much looking forward to this.

"Ja, Meister," Yukio said, his voice certain, knowing just how important this was to his master and wanting to do well. 

“Good,” Jushiro murmured as he stepped around behind Yukio, touching the crop to his back without warning and highly pleased when he didn’t tense at all. He held it there as he said, “Yukio, I’m going to run the crop down your back gently one time, and then I will follow with a single strike in the same place. Understand, love?” 

"Ja, Meister," Yukio responded, taking another calming breath, emerald eyes locked with Ichigo's. 

Jushiro shifted the crop from where he had rested it on Yukio’s shoulder to the exact place he planned to contact - the space between his shoulder blade and spine - and slowly ran the end down his back, jade eyes intently watching for tension that didn’t occur. When he reached the waist of Yukio’s pants, he lifted it away, gaze still focused on Yukio’s back. There was no anticipatory twitch, so he stepped to the side, taking careful aim and bringing the crop back down, the strike only a small fraction of his full strength but enough that he could effectively judge Yukio’s true reaction to the light impact.

Yukio gasped but otherwise remained relaxed, emerald eyes widening slightly. It didn't hurt, barely even a light sting. Other than that, however, Yukio didn't feel anything in particular from the impact, able to settle again fairly immediately. The stroking along his back  _ had  _ felt good - this particular contact only left him with that slight sting. 

“Color, love,” Jushiro requested as soon as he pulled the crop away after following through. He didn’t touch Yukio yet at all, allowing him to feel the lingering sensation uninterrupted to effectively decide whether he wanted this to continue.

"Ahhm…" Yukio hummed out, trying to decide. "I'm not sure, Meister. It didn't hurt, I just don't know if I actually  _ like _ it. I really enjoyed you stroking my back, it felt pleasurable and tingly, but it only stung slightly when you actually hit me… So… I don't know what color to give…"

Jushiro stepped toward Yukio, placing his free hand on his back and caressing gently. “You could say yellow, and I would do the same thing one more time on the opposite side after I deal one to Ichigo. Or, if you’re fairly certain it isn’t pleasurable, you can say red right now and it wouldn’t at all disappoint either of us,” he helped Yukio talk out his options, truly unable to actually make this decision for him.

"Yellow," Yukio decided after a moment, turning his head and looking up at Jushiro. 

“Good, love,” Jushiro murmured, leaning the small distance to press his lips to Yukio’s cheek. “Keep holding Ichigo’s hand. I’m sure he’ll need the grounding,” he added, throwing a bit of a teasing smile to Ichigo as he withdrew his hand from Yukio’s back. 

Jushiro saw the tension in Ichigo’s arms as he gripped the back of the chair with one hand and Yukio’s hand with the other. A glance down his well-muscled body, though, told Jushiro that he was keeping the rest of himself relaxed, and when he touched the crop to Ichigo’s back, there was only a small twitch beneath it. “Stay calm, Ichigo. Do not tense when I pull this away. I will do the same with you that I did with Yukio - run the crop down your back in the path it will take with the strike and then deal the strike. Understand?” he asked clearly.

“Yes,” Ichigo hissed out, gripping Yukio’s hand tightly, channeling the tension that threatened to take over his entire body into his arms and his grasp on Yukio. Amber eyes met with emerald, and he focused on that eye contact, feeling the crop still resting on his shoulder but trying not to let it affect him. He  _ knew  _ he was going to enjoy this, and that made it only more difficult to calm himself as he waited.

Yukio squeezed his hand, smiling encouragingly. "I'm here, mein Ichigo," Yukio said again, his voice soft and warm. 

Ichigo gave him a smile, saying softly, “Thank you, my Yukio.” 

Jushiro kept the pressure of the end of the crop constant, waiting until Ichigo had truly relaxed before moving it down his back, smiling when Ichigo remained focused on Yukio to stay calm. When he lifted it from Ichigo’s lower back, he paused for only a moment for any anticipatory tension to pass. After only a few seconds of silence, he brought the crop down on Ichigo’s back at the same force he had used with Yukio.

Even with the comparative weakness of the strike, Ichigo felt like electricity had spread through his entire body at the contact, and his breath hitched at the sensation. A low hum was emitted from his throat without his knowledge, and his eyes fell shut to revel in the pleasant feeling of the slight sting that remained on his skin even after Jushiro pulled the crop away.

“Color, Ichigo,” Jushiro commanded, watching him closely. His body had fallen rather lax after the strike, and the sound he had made certainly seemed pleased, but he waited for the verbal response all the same.

“Green,” Ichigo didn’t even have to force out the answer, it having surfaced before he even thought about it. There was no doubt in his mind - he wanted  _ more  _ of this,  _ harder. _

Yukio watched Ichigo's reaction with widened emerald eyes, the difference between their reactions and the obvious pleasure Ichigo felt from the impact was clear. The involuntary sound Ichigo had made was ridiculously sexy, sending a rush of heat throughout his body and he released his own, nearly inaudible whimper. 

Jushiro ran his hand down Ichigo’s back, sure he hadn’t caused any real pain but habit took over even in this lighter portion of the session. He smiled when Ichigo actually arched a bit into his touch. It was quickly becoming obvious that this would be quite the effective subspace trigger, along with being highly pleasurable for Ichigo. “Very good, Ichigo,” Jushiro murmured, bending to kiss Ichigo’s shoulder before withdrawing and rounding to stand again behind Yukio.

He touched the crop to Yukio’s back, this time on the opposite side, his smile never leaving when Yukio remained relaxed. “I will do the same thing again, at equal strength. Are you ready, Yukio?” he asked softly.

"Ja, Meister," Yukio said, breathing deeply to calm himself. This time he closed his eyes, focusing on feeling, trying to judge more critically how he felt about the impact. 

Jushiro nodded, though he knew Yukio couldn’t see, and slowly ran the end of the crop down his back in the same manner as before. When he lifted it away, Yukio stayed relaxed, and he brought it down with the same force as before, immediately asking when he pulled it away, “Color, love.”

Not seeing, the pain was slightly sharper, though it was really still just a small sting. But that was all he felt. Ichigo had obviously felt real pleasure from this and Yukio was sure now that he simply didn't. "Red, Meister," Yukio said softly. "It didn't really hurt, but it doesn't feel good either."

Jushiro stepped to stand directly next to Yukio, bringing his free hand up to thread through Yukio’s hair, kissing his cheek before saying, “That’s fine, love. Are you comfortable enough here in the chair to stay and help ground Ichigo? I think he needs you here, if that’s alright.”

Ichigo had been focused on the two of them, initially concerned with Yukio calling red until he had given his explanation for it. Just the thought of Yukio leaving, though, made his hand tighten around Yukio’s. “Don’t leave, Yukio. Please,” he requested. He knew if he didn’t have this contact with Yukio, he would likely tense up more easily as Jushiro continued, but he desperately didn’t want to have to stop.

Yukio smiled reassuringly at Ichigo, reaching out his other hand to take Ichigo's in both of his smaller ones. "Of course I'll stay. I'm right here, mein Ichigo. I would never leave you, especially when you need me."

Ichigo smiled, squeezing Yukio’s hands. “You’re so good to me, my Yukio,” he said quietly, pulling one of Yukio’s hands to his lips to kiss it. 

Jushiro smiled, kissing Yukio’s hair before moving to stand behind Ichigo again, resting the crop on the opposite side of his back, relieved when Ichigo simply slumped lax against the chair at the contact. “You’re doing so well, Ichigo. Now, I have new instructions for you, since Yukio has ended his part of the scene. I will alternate sides of your back with each strike and you will provide a color each time. I will not continue until you state a color. I will continue to increase the strength each time you respond with green, and I will not stop entirely until you say red. Do you understand, Ichigo?”

“Yes, Jushiro,” Ichigo replied, taking deep, calming breaths to keep himself fully relaxed.

“Good, Ichigo,” Jushiro said just before running the crop down Ichigo’s back, a bit quicker this time, really just to keep the correct path in his own mind. When he lifted it away, he didn’t hesitate at all to bring it back down, a bit harder than the first time, his eyes widening but his hand never faltering at the quite audible whine that surfaced from Ichigo.

Ichigo was already beginning to tremble, never having felt something so incredibly satisfying. The slight pain - really only a minutely stronger sting - was immediately enveloped by warm pleasure that flooded his entire body. The involuntary whine at the strike was filled with only desire, not a hint of actual pain present, and he quite desperately said, “Green.”

Yukio quickly realized that Ichigo was going to be grounding  _ him  _ as much as he was grounding Ichigo. Because watching Ichigo react in such a way was one of the hottest things Yukio had seen, emerald eyes wide, taking in every resulting motion and sound he made. He squeezed his hand in both of his, heart rate already picking up and heat slowly flooding him. 

Jushiro waited only until Ichigo relaxed again after arching slightly at the last strike before running the crop quickly down the opposite side of his back and pulling back to put a bit more force behind his motion. He didn’t know how much Ichigo could truly handle, but Jushiro knew himself well enough to know he was using less than half of his strength now. Still, he kept a close eye on every reaction as he struck again, this time prepared for Ichigo’s obviously pleasured response.

Ichigo’s voice was well beyond his own control as he groaned at the feeling of heat exploding over his skin, the sting of the crop now constant even between strikes with both sides of his back having been hit. He kept his tight grip on Yukio’s hands, not allowing the tension to travel to the rest of his body, even as he began to shake a bit more noticeably. Still, the sting wasn’t at all painful or unpleasant - quite the opposite - so he knew for sure he could handle significantly more. “Green,” he breathed out the word as he kept his eyes toward Yukio, the only grounding point he had at the moment.

Yukio whined softly at Ichigo's response, emerald eyes darkening and firmly gripping his hand as more heat flooded him. He was quickly becoming unable to keep his breathing slow and steady, hitching slightly with each inhalation. 

Jushiro’s eyes flicked briefly to Yukio, and he smiled when he saw that he was also affected by Ichigo’s clear pleasure. He supposed it didn’t matter  _ what  _ he was watching - if his partners were in pleasure, it brought Yukio pleasure as well. He quickly turned his attention back to Ichigo, though, and brought the crop back to his back, alternating sides as he said he would. 

He continued to slowly increase the strength of his strikes, Ichigo giving the same response of “Green,” his voice steadily more strained and his responses louder and more uncontrolled. After another strike to each side, Jushiro paused, though Ichigo had yet again given the same reply. He studied Ichigo’s back, twin red marks having formed where the crop had last struck. He brought a hand to soothingly caress the heated skin, assuring him softly, “I will continue in a moment, Ichigo. Calm, stay relaxed for me. You’re doing so incredibly well.” 

Jushiro felt and saw Ichigo slump against the chair at his calming touch, his breathing leveling after such intense stimulation. He glanced at Yukio, who was also highly affected. “Yukio, how deep in subspace is he, love?” he asked, attempting to distract Yukio a bit with the simple task of assessing Ichigo’s condition for him. He knew Yukio was well versed by now, having seen Ichigo fall and surface several times over the months. Really, even watching Toshiro go from no subspace at all to the incredibly deep subspace he often achieved helped immensely in Yukio’s ability to judge such things.

"Moderate, Meister," Yukio responded, carefully assessing Ichigo's state through his own pleasure, his voice a bit breathy but certain. "He can fall quite a bit more." 

“Good. Thank you, love,” Jushiro said, taking the half step and leaning over to kiss Yukio’s cheek. When he returned to his position behind Ichigo, he brought one of his hands up to run through bright orange hair, massaging lightly to keep him relaxed. “I’m going to continue now, Ichigo. Alright?” he asked softly.

“Yes,” Ichigo replied instantly, leaning into Jushiro’s hand in his hair, but relaxing back into the proper position on the chair when it was pulled away.

Jushiro slowly withdrew completely, leaving only the crop in contact with Ichigo’s back. He traced it over a slightly altered path, offset from where the previous strikes had hit, still hitting only areas without prominent bones. He had to take a deep breath himself, gathering his thoughts and considering how much strength to use. He was already at over half of his full power, and he was confident in settling somewhere between half and two-thirds. So, he pulled the crop back and struck on the path he had traced, the sound of the crop contacting his skin echoing through the otherwise silent room.

It wasn’t silent after that, Ichigo’s breath hitching before a long, low moan surfaced. Every breath after that was a whine, the heat in his body unrelenting and gathering in his core as burning desire. He was painfully hard, but he didn’t want Jushiro to stop - not until it really began to cause pain instead of this ridiculously overwhelming pleasure. “Green - please, more,” he begged, his hands within Yukio’s rather harshly shaking but the rest of his body relaxed and willing to take more.

Jushiro was sure Ichigo wouldn’t last much longer, especially with greater force. Still, he obliged him, tracing the same path on the opposite side of his back, slightly offset from the red line that indicated the first few strikes. When he brought it down this time, it was at a solid two-thirds of his full strength, and the way Ichigo cried out in pleasure was honestly quite satisfying. 

Ichigo’s legs were beginning to tremble along with his hands, the initial cry waning into a constant, needy whimper. He was really barely focused on Yukio anymore, too occupied by the growing desperation that had taken over his mind. It was the best kind of torture to feel the conflict between wanting Jushiro to continue and wanting him to take him over to the bed and have his way with him. “Yellow - please - one more like that,” he gave his response, his voice mixing with the involuntary sounds that were spilling from his lips.

Yukio whined rather loudly, his own body trembling in desire from watching Ichigo's strong reaction to the impacts. He wasn't much more quiet than Ichigo, the man's sexy sounds only encouraging answering ones from Yukio, near constant moans spilling from his lips with each exhale of shaky breath. Pleasure was humming through him, he was achingly hard, and he honestly thought if Ichigo continued much longer then  _ he  _ was going to be begging. 

Jushiro hoped Ichigo wasn’t going to decide to extend this past the one more he was asking for, because it seemed that both of them were nearly in a state of suffering. He traced the crop over Ichigo’s back, slowing it when Ichigo shivered under the contact. When he reached the point just above the waist of Ichigo’s pants, he lifted it away, pausing for a moment and only bringing it back down when he saw Ichigo relax.

Ichigo swore the sound that came out of his mouth wasn’t even his - a scream traced with an unbelievable amount of pent-up desire. “Fuck - red - please - need… need -” his voice cut off by a desirous groan, his grip on Yukio’s hands so tight that he feared he may have actually been hurting him. But he couldn’t seem to loosen the tension that had settled over his entire body. 

Jushiro reacted immediately, dropping the crop and going to Ichigo’s side, moving a light touch over the affected skin of his back. “We have you, Ichigo. You need to calm, just enough to make it to the bed. Breathe deeply - look at me, Ichigo,” he commanded. When glazed, desperate amber eyes met his, he brought his other hand to Ichigo’s cheek, taking in his condition. He was leaning into the hand on his cheek, almost constantly trembling, attempting to force deep breaths from his lungs, but not entirely lost. 

He caressed Ichigo’s back, soothing the stinging skin for a moment before shifting to bring that hand to hold Ichigo’s cheek, the other moving to Yukio’s hair, combing his fingers through in a motion that he hoped was calming enough at least until the two of them could get to the bed. “You did so well, love, for me and for Ichigo. Breathe now, Yukio, try to calm down a bit,” he said softly when he turned to meet bright emerald eyes that were no less filled with overt desire than Ichigo’s.

"Ahh… Ja… Meister…" Yukio gasped out between heavily affected breaths, trying to calm. He really only managed - slightly - because of Ichigo. He felt like he needed to help ground him, that need forcing him to bring himself a bit more under control, pushing aside his own seemingly overwhelming arousal. His thumbs stroked the backs of Ichigo's hands, not minding the crushing grip in the least, saying softly, "I'm… still here… mein Ichigo… Love you…"

Feeling Yukio caressing the backs of his hands brought Ichigo a bit further into - admittedly fevered - relaxation. He shifted his eyes to Yukio, replying quietly around his still affected breathing, “I know - my Yukio - you’d never leave me - Love you so much.” His hands loosened their painful grasp on Yukio’s, not letting go and not even remotely willing to, but still easing the pressure a bit. 

It was only a few more moments before Jushiro was sure the other two were as calm as they possibly could be, and he ran the hand that was on Ichigo’s cheek down his back one last time. “Ichigo, can you stand and manage the few steps to the bed? I’ll carry Yukio over and stay close enough that you’ll only need to release one of his hands. Is that alright with you both?” he asked, keeping his tone calm and even.

“Yeah, I think I’m good,” Ichigo replied, flexing his legs a bit and stretching them out behind him to be sure. “Ready, Yukio?” he asked, his voice still a bit pinched and shaky but he was determined to make it to the bed, where he knew he would get relief.

"Ja… Ready…" Yukio replied, his voice a bit stronger, trying to be a good source of grounding for Ichigo. 

At Yukio’s answer, Jushiro moved from Ichigo’s side to take Yukio in his arms. As he did so, Ichigo had stood next to them, one hand still connected to Yukio’s, though he was obviously a bit shaky on his feet. Jushiro wasted no time getting them both to the bed, Ichigo obviously remembering the order of the scene and lying down on his back in the middle of the bed, pulling Yukio to lay next to him by his grip on his hand. Jushiro got on the bed with them, but before taking his proper place, he paused behind Yukio, running a hand through his hair and asking, “Are you alright, love? You’re not stiff or sore from staying in position on the chair, are you?”

"No, Meister… I'm not sore or stiff… Just…" Yukio trailed off, his voice becoming very quiet as he blushed heavily, forcing out, "I don't know how long I can wait… Watching Ichigo… I don't know if I can keep holding myself back…" He desperately wanted to remain calm for Ichigo, but he honestly didn't think he could take much more without some relief - or help. "I'd… be alright… with a ring…" Yukio whispered, more than a little embarrassed to ask for such a thing just because he was  _ watching  _ his master with Ichigo. 

Jushiro nodded, reaching back without hesitation to retrieve a cock ring from the drawer of the bedside table. “Now, Yukio, I’m going to put this on you only for while I  _ prepare  _ Ichigo. When I begin to actually take him, I will take it off and allow you to move against Ichigo to get some relief. Do you understand, love?” he asked gently. Really, he would prefer Yukio have his relief during Ichigo’s part of the scene, because even with the cock ring, Yukio would likely be in quite a desperate state if he made him wait through his  _ own  _ preparation.

"Ja, Meister. I understand - Danke," Yukio responded, a slight whine in his voice, emerald eyes dark and filled with need. 

Jushiro smiled and leaned over to kiss Yukio’s cheek. He made quick work of removing the rest of Yukio’s clothing, sliding the ring onto his leaking cock when he was fully undressed. “Love you, Yukio,” he murmured before all but crawling over Yukio to reach Ichigo. 

Knowing Ichigo was in no condition to wait, either, he was equally unceremonious about removing the remainder of his clothes, tossing them aside. He settled between Ichigo’s legs, smirking a bit when a sudden idea came to his mind. “How effectively can you edge yourself, Ichigo? I have only rarely asked you to do so before,” he asked, the mischievous edge evident in his voice.

Ichigo’s breath hitched at what was clearly suggested in Jushiro’s words. “I - uh - not well enough right now, I’m sure. I want you so bad, Jushiro,” he admitted. 

Jushiro smiled, the expression more than a bit sultry as he looked down at Ichigo. “Yukio, love, reach behind you and get another cock ring, please,” he instructed, dark jade eyes not leaving lust-filled amber.

Yukio did as instructed, handing another cock ring to Jushiro, his voice breathy and soft as he said, "Here, Meister…"

Jushiro glanced at Yukio long enough to say, “Thank you, love,” and then turned back to Ichigo. He slid the ring onto Ichigo, not at all concerned by the light shudder the other man gave when he did so, instructing firmly, “I will leave this on you while I prepare you. I won’t intentionally stimulate, but you  _ will  _ wait until I am fully inside you to take it off, and then I will do so for you. If you attempt to take it off yourself, there will be consequences. Understand?”

Ichigo nodded, already whining a bit desperately but honestly grateful that the ring would keep him from needing to forcibly hold himself back. “I understand,” he replied, his eyes sweeping down the still fully clothed man before him. Really, the fact that he still had clothes on didn’t make Ichigo want him less - the man was gorgeous regardless. If anything, it was just more time that would be required before he could feel him. 

“Good, Ichigo,” Jushiro said softly, leaning down to kiss his cheek. He took the bottle of lube he had placed on the bed earlier when preparing the room and applied a liberal amount to two fingers. He watched Ichigo’s reaction as he only barely warned before pressing one finger in, stretching quickly but thoroughly as he sank it down to the knuckle. 

Ichigo was all but writhing, fighting the urge to move back against Jushiro’s finger within him, desperately wanting to feel another part of the beautiful man fill him. He had asked to be treated a bit roughly again for this scene, it having been a couple of weeks since Shunsui’s visit, but he truly didn’t imagine that Jushiro would take that desire so much to heart. Everything Jushiro had done that day was far from delicate, and it was honestly driving Ichigo insane. Even his preparation, though still careful and not at all painful, was nowhere near as slow and tedious as usual. The cock ring was just another layer of delicious torture, holding him back from the release he knew was just moments away when it was removed. 

When Jushiro had stretched as much as he could with a single finger, he slid in the second, Ichigo’s body willingly accepting the intrusion. He took the same quick but thorough approach, actively avoiding Ichigo’s prostate to keep from actually making him uncomfortably desperate. Ichigo was clearly already being held at the edge even just from being prepared. When the almost rushed task was completed to Jushiro’s satisfaction - it may have felt hurried to Ichigo, but Jushiro knew it wouldn’t result in any real harm - he removed his fingers and set himself to undressing. 

Ichigo almost growled at just how slowly Jushiro was taking off his own clothing. Of course, he was probably doing so the same way he usually did, Ichigo’s mind was simply exaggerating due to his desperation. Still, it seemed like far too long waiting for every inch of flawless skin to be revealed, and Ichigo couldn’t help but trace his eyes over every bit of Jushiro’s body. 

Once he was completely bare, Jushiro took the lube again and slicked his own cock, even more thoroughly than usual due to what Ichigo was asking that he do. He had to hold back a smirk at Ichigo’s lustful expression as he watched him prepare his cock, obviously entirely ready for what was to come. Jushiro lowered himself down to hover over Ichigo, leaning down all the way for a moment to kiss his cheek. Once he was in position, his cock pressed against Ichigo’s entrance but not yet pressing in, he turned to Yukio. “I’m going to take your ring off now, love. You can move against Ichigo while you watch, and come when you feel the need, alright?” he asked, reaching over to run his hand through Yukio’s hair. 

Yukio leaned into his touch, a breathless moan escaping him before he nodded, saying, "Ja - Bitte, Meister…" Watching and  _ feeling _ Ichigo writhe upon the bed and against where he'd been cuddled up beside him had only made Yukio more desperate himself. His breathing was heavily labored, soft whines escaping with every exhalation. 

Jushiro carefully removed the ring and tossed it onto the bedside table, leaning over to kiss Yukio’s cheek before centering himself back over Ichigo. “Ichigo, once I am fully inside you, I will take off your ring, but you will hold back until I am ready for you to come. Can you do that for me?” he asked softly. 

“Y-Yes, please - just let me feel you,” Ichigo begged, his words nearly failing him entirely. 

“I know you can. Good, Ichigo,” Jushiro said, leaning down to claim Ichigo’s lips while pushing into him in a single slow action, shuddering quite visibly when he was fully sheathed. He pulled away from Ichigo’s mouth, already breathing a bit heavily as he allowed the pleasure that he had been diligently ignoring to inundate his body, heat flooding him at the sensation of being surrounded by tight warmth. Without warning, he began a pattern of quick but still rather gentle thrusts, being sure Ichigo wasn’t reacting negatively to the force as he increased the roughness of his motions. 

Ichigo’s voice was a constant moan, his body completely ignited with the feeling of being claimed so decisively by this normally painfully gentle man. It seemed that the longer he drowned in the sea of pleasure, the harder Jushiro’s thrusts became until he was legitimately slamming into him, at which point Ichigo was crying out rather desperately, “Please - need - let me - ahh!” His entire core was burning with the effort it took to hold back, but his body simply wouldn’t allow him to release, his determination to keep his word winning out over the overwhelming pleasure that was crashing over him in waves. 

Yukio had wrapped himself around Ichigo as much as possible without being in the way of Jushiro, Ichigo's arm wrapped around him as well, grasping his back none-too-gently. Yukio didn't mind in the least, relishing in the harsh hold that practically pinned him to Ichigo's side. 

Yukio had been slowly thrusting against his side, his moans low and filled with relief at feeling the friction between them, relieving some of the tension within him even as it built higher overall, filling his core with heat and pressure. As Ichigo became truly desperate, Yukio began kissing and sucking at his neck as he thrust faster against him, keening in pleasure. 

He honestly tried to hold on until Ichigo came but when he cried out, Yukio couldn't hold back any longer, his master’s instruction of letting go when he felt the need giving him the permission he required. The motion of his hips stuttered at the ridiculously sexy sound and he groaned out his own release, murmuring against Ichigo's neck as he trembled through both his climax and his aftershocks, "Ichigo - mein Ichigo - so gorgeous - so sexy - love you - mein Ichigo - mine -" 

Ichigo’s whine as he felt Yukio’s release against his side was nearly pained, Jushiro’s constant, indelicate thrusting driving him into depths of pleasure he swore he had never experienced in his life. Yukio’s small, trembling form latched onto him, the wet release between them, and Yukio’s breath against his neck had him truly, deeply desperate, his voice strained and traced with a groan as he forced out, “Jushiro -  _ please -  _ can’t -”

Jushiro gave a sound quite close to a growl, cutting off Ichigo’s plea with an exceptionally hard thrust that had them both crying out in pleasure. When he withdrew slightly again, preparing to snap his hips forward again, he said in a low, velvety tone that conveyed both the command in his words and the absolute love he had for the man under him, “Come, Ichigo - let me feel you.”

The tone of Jushiro’s voice was really all it took, sending chills down Ichigo’s spine and pleasure racing through his system, and as Jushiro thrust into him one last time, he couldn’t have stopped his release again if he tried. Fire seemed to envelop his entire body, the initial rush of pleasure burying him in waves of bliss that seemed to cut off his voice entirely except for a pinched cry that sounded more like a whimper. 

Jushiro allowed his own climax to claim him when he felt Ichigo’s body clench down impossibly hard around him, the pressure and resulting aftershocks drawing out the low groan that surfaced when the tension exited his body with his release. He remained still to ride out his own aftershocks, buried deep in Ichigo’s body for many long seconds that felt like they could have been hours. When he finally regained his breath, he lowered himself down to rest his weight over Ichigo’s body, smiling when he felt Ichigo’s arm that wasn’t around Yukio come around his back to hold him. He settled with his forehead resting on the side of Ichigo’s head, both of their heads occupying the same pillow. When he shifted to find Ichigo’s eyes, his expression softened upon finding still hazy amber. “I love you, Ichigo. I didn’t hurt you, did I?” he asked in a whisper.

Ichigo chuckled a bit, though his voice was still quite strained. “No, not at all. Felt amazing. Love you, too, Jushiro,” he replied. 

“What about your back? Does that hurt at all still?” Jushiro inquired, not being able to help but ensure to himself that Ichigo wasn’t actually harmed by anything he had done to him. 

“Fine. Still stings a little against the bed, but doesn’t hurt,” Ichigo responded, leaning in to kiss Jushiro’s lips gently. “I’m fine, Jushiro. I loved every single thing you did,” he assured him when he pulled away.

Jushiro smiled. “Thank you, Ichigo. I would never, ever hurt either of you,” he murmured softly. He moved down a bit, his breath hitching slightly as he disconnected from Ichigo’s body with the action, but he did so to rest his head on Ichigo’s chest, able to see Yukio from there instead of Ichigo being between them. “You’re alright, love? You enjoyed watching us together?” he asked, reaching out to cup Yukio’s cheek in his palm.

Yukio nuzzled into his palm, his emerald eyes still dark and a bit hazy as well as he responded, "Ja, Meister. Always, Meister. You and Ichigo are so sexy and gorgeous together. Danke, Meister - for allowing me to move against Ichigo, to feel him move as you took him roughly like that - for allowing me to come - it was so incredibly hot. I tried to hold back until Ichigo came but I couldn't… Too much - so gut, Meister, mein Ichigo…"

Jushiro smiled softly at Yukio, running his thumb over his cheek. “Good, Yukio. You did incredibly well, love. I love you so much, precious Yukio,” he murmured, leaning over and pressing his lips to Yukio’s, holding the pressure but not deepening the kiss, only wanting gentle connection to both of his partners. Feeling Ichigo’s body beneath him and his arm around him, and now with contact with Yukio’s lips, he simply felt  _ complete.  _

Yukio hummed into the kiss, melting into the contact and bringing one hand up to thread his fingers through Jushiro's long, winter white hair. He felt so incredibly relaxed and happy between the two of his partners, his entire body feeling tingly and warm. The longer Jushiro kept contact, the more heat filtered into that warmth, moaning quietly into the kiss. 

Jushiro gently pulled away when it seemed that Yukio was beginning to react to the kiss, smiling and continuing to run his thumb over Yukio’s cheek. “Before we continue, I would like to get you and Ichigo cleaned up, love. I’ll only go to the bathroom down here and get a warm washcloth. You’ll be alright here with Ichigo for a moment, right?” he asked quietly. 

"Ja, Meister, I'll be alright," Yukio said with a soft smile, emerald eyes warm and still a bit hazy. 

“Good, Yukio,” Jushiro replied, leaning over to kiss his cheek when he pulled his hand away. As he sat up, Ichigo willingly allowed him, moving his arm from where it was resting over his back. “And you’ll be alright, Ichigo?” he asked when he was sitting up enough to find calm amber eyes.

“Yeah, I’m good,” Ichigo responded, his voice no longer strained. 

Jushiro kissed Ichigo’s cheek as well before pushing himself up off of Ichigo and getting off the bed. 

As Jushiro disappeared into the bathroom and water began to run, Ichigo tilted his head down to kiss the top of Yukio’s head. “Damn, that was ridiculously hot, Yukio - you holding onto me and thrusting into me like that. If Jushiro hadn’t told me to hold back, I would’ve come when I felt you come against me,” he said with a chuckle.

Yukio giggled, cuddling into him, not really caring about the mess between them. "Well, I  _ did  _ try to hold back myself - you just sounded and looked too sexy," Yukio said with a heated grin. "And Meister being that rough with you was  _ really _ hot. Do you think you'll be able to watch him with me?"

Ichigo scoffed, though the sound was amused. “I mean, probably not, but apparently I’ll just get a cock ring put on me. You think Jushiro’s trying to get back at me or something? He’s being such a tease with me today,” he said, shaking his head. He truly didn’t mind, but it was quite different to see the normally calm and composed man actually having  _ fun  _ with them. Really, it was a thrilling change for Ichigo.

Yukio giggled again, saying, "I don't think you can call this getting back at you when you  _ want  _ and even  _ asked for  _ practically everything he's done to you. As far as teasing goes, you just seem to bring that out in nearly everyone."

“Hey, I didn’t  _ ask  _ to be edged through that,” Ichigo shot back, though his feigned defensive tone broke with a laugh.

Jushiro chuckled when he crossed the room back to the bed, kneeling behind Yukio and bringing the hand that wasn’t holding the washcloth to gently caress Yukio’s side. “I know you were enjoying yourself, Ichigo. I allowed you to release when you were truly at your limit, and I wouldn’t have pushed you any further,” he assured him.

“Oh, I’m sure it didn’t have anything to do with  _ you  _ needing to come,” Ichigo teased.

Jushiro laughed and shook his head. “Actually, no, it didn’t. I could have lasted much longer, even at that pace,” he replied with certainty. He heard Ichigo release a bit of a huff as he began to clean Yukio, gently tilting his hips back to reach between him and Ichigo. He glanced up at Ichigo, who was really only pretending to sulk. “Shunsui wasn’t exaggerating, you know,” he added in a quiet voice. 

“Yeah, I bet he wasn’t. One day we’re going to put together a scene where the whole idea is to push Jushiro until he’s begging. How’s that sound, Yukio?” Ichigo asked, his voice still light and teasing.

"That would be incredibly sexy to see," Yukio responded, smiling. "Only if Meister agreed, of course. I was honestly a little bit concerned we'd made him too sore the time Shunsui was here, as incredible as it was to see Meister like that and be filled by you both…" Yukio’s voice trailed off, blushing at the admittance, but a bit of concern did color his tone. He didn't want his master to actually be at all uncomfortable. 

Jushiro laughed a bit, both at Yukio’s adorable blush and the concern in his voice. “I assure you, I was fine, Yukio. I would let you both organize a scene like that, I don’t mind at all. It’s quite thrilling for me to be pushed like that, it’s just not something I want to do frequently. As long as it’s within my limits and yours, I would be willing to do whatever the two of you came up with,” he said as he finished cleaning Yukio and moved on to do the same for Ichigo.

“Hell yeah! We’re carving out a whole day, Yukio. You think what we did when Shunsui was here was sexy, we’ll make up something  _ much  _ better than that,” Ichigo said, his excitement and enthusiasm clear as he turned to kiss Yukio’s hair.

Yukio nuzzled into him, saying, "You already know I'll do whatever you want me to, mein Ichigo. I would like to see Meister that way again. I loved bringing him pleasure like that."

Jushiro only shook his head again, chuckling lightly at Ichigo’s seeming mission to drive him into unbelievable amounts of pent-up pleasure. “Whatever you want, Ichigo. I certainly won’t complain or deter you,” he said, finishing cleaning them both and getting up again just long enough to go back to the bathroom to put the soiled washcloth in its proper place.

When he returned, he settled laying behind Yukio, pulling the smaller man flush with his chest. He kissed the back of Yukio’s head, nuzzling his nose into his hair and saying softly, “Are you ready for me to begin with you, love?”

A thrill of excitement ran through Yukio as he responded, "Ja, Meister - Bitte - I'm ready."

Jushiro smiled into Yukio’s hair, placing another kiss there before reaching back to grab a cock ring from the bedside table. He extended his arm over Yukio to hand it to Ichigo. “When you’re fully hard again, I’d like for you to put this on. You will leave it on until I take it off, and you won’t  _ ask  _ for me to take it off for you. Understand?” he asked, the command returning to his voice.

Ichigo gave an exasperated groan and took the ring from Jushiro. “I don’t know what I did to deserve this,” he complained. 

Jushiro smiled, saying, “I don’t do anything without both of your best interests in mind. I  _ know  _ you enjoy being edged. Now, do you understand what I’m asking of you?”

“Yes, I understand,” Ichigo replied resignedly. He smiled, though, as his eyes met Yukio’s. “See? I told you,” he said matter-of-factly.

Yukio laughed lightly, saying, "Again, I don't think it counts if you enjoy it."

Jushiro chuckled as he turned his attention back to Yukio, moving his hands along the front of his small body, tracing the lines of lean muscle beneath flawless skin. His movements were slow and admiring, his touch trailing over Yukio’s chest, down toned abs to the outside of his hip. “You are so beautiful, Yukio. I wouldn’t change a single thing about you - so perfect, love,” he murmured, pressing light kisses to soft blonde hair as his hands continued to wander.

Yukio sucked in a sharp breath followed by a soft whimper, still affected strongly by the direct praise and gentle touch of his master. "Meister…" Yukio moaned out, arching into his touch, his ass pressing against Jushiro's steadily hardening length behind him, the feeling only causing a whine to escape him, heat flooding him as he breathed out, "Bitte, Meister… Want you…"

Jushiro turned Yukio in his arms, indulging his desire to be treated roughly and not at all being gentle with him as he turned him to face him, holding him firmly against him and letting his hands run over his back and ass as he pulled him up to level their faces, pressing hasty kisses to Yukio’s forehead, cheeks, and chin, avoiding his lips for now and continuing his mouth’s exploration down to Yukio’s collarbone, letting his tongue wander past his lips and occasionally dragging his teeth over the delicate skin. Both Ichigo  _ and  _ Yukio had requested a bit of rough treatment, and though he was indulging Yukio a bit differently, he wasn’t being nearly as tender and gentle with the small submissive as he usually was.

Yukio’s heart rate immediately raced at Jushiro's actions, his breathing starting to come in shaky pants. He was releasing a mixture of moans and whines, trying to lean into every indelicate kiss but not able to move well at all with how Jushiro was holding him. The restraint only caused him to slip further into subspace though, his whole body beginning to tremble, strong arousal flooding him and rapidly making him fully hard again. 

"Meister… Bitte… mehr… So gut…" Yukio moaned out, the words repeated and mixing in with the other sounds he was making, clinging to Jushiro. 

Jushiro hummed into Yukio’s skin, well aware of how quickly Yukio was being driven into arousal. He was also attentive to the fact that his arms locked around him, preventing Yukio from moving, was deepening his subspace, and his open reactions caused a wave of heat to wash over Jushiro’s body. He brought his mouth to rest on Yukio’s cheek, pressing a light kiss there before murmuring against his skin, “Love you - so much, Yukio. I’m going to put a ring on you again, love, so you don’t have to focus on holding back while I explore your body a bit and prepare you, alright?”

"Ja - bitte, Meister," Yukio whimpered out. He actually really loved being edged - as long as he had a cock ring on. It only made him feel more out of control of himself, driving him deeper into subspace. 

Jushiro took only one arm from around Yukio to reach back for the ring, loosening his hold on him just enough to reach between them and place it, feeling Yukio fall even more lax in his hold. “Good, Yukio,” he murmured, kissing Yukio’s cheek and bringing both arms around him again to hold him close, a satisfied hum surfacing at the sensation of their bare bodies completely flush against one another. Without warning, though, he shifted his weight to turn Yukio onto his back, pinning him with his weight over him for a moment, turning his head to press firm kisses to Yukio’s face and hair, small, barely audible moans between each small bit of contact. He truly loved how Yukio responded to him, so incredibly docile and willing to allow him control. Not that he didn’t enjoy the challenge Ichigo presented. In fact, the contrast between the two of them fulfilled every desire he could possibly have.

Yukio had gasped at the rather rapid motion as Jushiro had really never been anything other than slow and gentle with him. He was loving it though - the unexpectedness of his movements, the force behind each action that indicated just how much stronger Jushiro was - it all only increased his pleasure, a sharp thrill running through him. He only felt  _ more  _ at Jushiro's complete mercy, not simply letting go of control but feeling like he couldn't possibly get it back unless Jushiro allowed it. Such a thing would have once terrified him - but Jushiro was his  _ master.  _ He had his complete trust in a way that this only felt  _ right,  _ pushing him further into subspace, his mind beginning to blank, sensation sharpening in response. 

When Yukio didn’t fight at all, actually relaxing  _ more  _ beneath him, Jushiro smiled, keeping as much of his weight as possible on Yukio’s body as he trailed his mouth down his neck to his shoulder, and even further to rather roughly tease his collarbone again before he continued to his chest. He reveled in every uninhibited reaction, darting his tongue out to tease and taste Yukio’s skin, slowly making his way down to a nipple, firmly licking the sensitive skin and groaning when it began to respond and stiffen under his tongue. 

Yukio cried out, feeling Jushiro treat his nipple far more harshly than he ever had before. There wasn't any pain, only force and speed and it was driving him into a desperate heated arousal at the same time it was shoving him further into subspace. "Ja - Meister -" Yukio moaned loudly, his fingers flexing and arms moving as much as they could to clutch at scattered strands of long, snowy white hair. He wasn't remotely thinking when he did it, merely holding onto the soft strands, the familiar feeling helping to ground him a bit through the overwhelming pleasure. 

Ichigo was having quite a difficult time holding back the sounds that threatened to surface from his tight throat, determined not to distract either of the ones next to him. He had moved away just a bit, still within Yukio’s reach if he needed him but not so close as to interrupt Jushiro’s clearly unpredictable movements. He was quite shocked by the older man’s decisive, indelicate actions, but it only served to widen his eyes and quicken his breathing, every reaction he drew from Yukio incredibly sexy and too irresistible to look away from.

Jushiro felt Yukio take a shaky hold on his hair, but he knew there was no real threat in the action. Still, he was vigilantly aware of Yukio’s every action, his need for control only heightening in response to Yukio’s reactions. Yukio would never even have a passing thought to attempt to  _ take  _ anything from Jushiro, but his natural disposition was very much taking over, determined to  _ keep  _ Yukio firmly in the submissive state he lived in. He released Yukio’s nipple from his mouth’s attention, moving down further to trace his tongue over the lines of his ribs, lingering on an especially sensitive place on the side of his lower ribs, bearing down a bit roughly and sucking rather harshly at Yukio’s clearly pleasured responses.

Yukio’s reactions were long since completely automatic, arching as much towards Jushiro's mouth as he was able. Broken words, heavily accented English mixed with German, spilled from his lips along with continuous, pleasured sounds. His fingers still flexed, clutching at long, soft white strands, the feeling doing little to ground him under the assault of pleasure. Really, it was only adding - the physical reminder that this was clearly his  _ master  _ treating him this way causing his thrilled pleasure to spike, even as his vision became so unfocused with subspace that he wasn't really  _ seeing  _ anymore. 

Jushiro released Yukio’s skin from the near abuse he was treating it to, having been driven by Yukio’s broken words and sounds to continue until a bright red mark was left in the wake of his mouth, the sight causing Jushiro to groan rather heavily. “So glad you’re mine, love. I love you so much, Yukio,” he said, his voice low with desire. He moved back up Yukio’s body to quite suddenly take his mouth in a kiss, immediately parting his lips and moaning into Yukio’s mouth when he didn’t even have to use his tongue to request entry. He didn’t hesitate to invade Yukio’s mouth, though, his tongue not at all gentle as he claimed every inch of his submissive’s mouth.

Yukio’s sounds became far more desperate even as he went completely limp beneath Jushiro. Even the grip of his fingers went lax as Jushiro claimed his mouth so thoroughly, surrendering entirely. He could only feel, only submit, and every second only heightened his pleasure. The ring held him back, as close as he was to the edge, that lack of control only compounding his blissful feeling of helplessness. 

The way Jushiro was so effectively and seemingly effortlessly pulling Yukio into unbelievable amounts of pleasure had Ichigo actively holding back his  _ own  _ reactions. He honestly wanted to grab  _ someone,  _ but he stayed tensely in place, completely unable to look away but becoming increasingly frustrated by his own lack of control of the situation. He wasn’t allowed to do anything but  _ watch  _ as Jushiro harshly marked Yukio’s body and claimed his mouth. He had no idea how Yukio stood this - never having any say in what he did or what he was allowed - but Ichigo was entirely desperate. His hands shook with the desire to do  _ something,  _ even if that was just touch  _ himself  _ to relieve some of the pressure. But Jushiro hadn’t allowed him any liberties, so he only had to deal with the mounting arousal in his blood and try to keep the volume of his occasional whines to a minimum.

Jushiro slowly pulled away from Yukio’s mouth, jade eyes half-lidded as he took in Yukio’s completely glassy emerald eyes, likely entirely unfocused in his depth of subspace, and his still parted lips, every action beyond his control. He pressed a kiss to Yukio’s cheek before reaching over to the bedside table, not removing any of his weight from over Yukio’s body, and retrieving Yukio’s prep toy and the lube. He sat up only slightly, having no reservations about pressing his weight into Yukio’s body below him to do so, and thoroughly lubed the toy, tossing the lube aside and shifting to nudge Yukio’s legs apart and settle between them, keeping himself over Yukio as much as possible as he reached down and pressed the toy to his entrance, giving little additional warning before pressing it inside.

Yukio keened into the feeling of the toy being pressed into him, even this more forceful and faster than either of his partners had ever done before. His legs were shaking, his breathing coming in trembling pants. His hips automatically moved into the motion of the toy, as much as he was able, desperately whining when he simply couldn't, Jushiro's body pinning his own. The only desire he had at this point was to finally feel his master taking him, as thoroughly and as roughly as he had Ichigo, his body attempting to move against the toy, to force it faster and deeper without any conscious thought. 

Jushiro allowed the small amount of movement Yukio was able to accomplish with his body so securely pinned beneath him. Yukio’s enthusiasm and lack of awareness of his own actions only made Jushiro more vigilant, careful to match Yukio’s movements with contrasting ones of his own, being sure that he could feel the movement of the toy but not allowing it to progress deeper too quickly. Still, just as he had been with Ichigo, his preparation of Yukio was quick but thorough, stretching Yukio’s body just enough to take him without pain but leaving enough  _ not  _ done so that Jushiro would do the rest of the stretching himself as he took him. He knew Yukio loved to be filled, and he had an intuition that the sensation of his cock being what finished stretching his body was going to be a feeling Yukio would  _ love,  _ because, when done correctly, there was no pain associated with it, just the intensified feeling of being filled.

Jushiro was diligent in not intentionally stimulating Yukio as he prepared him, and when the task was finished, he slowly removed it, eliciting a desperate whine from the man beneath him. In response to the sound, he made quick work of lubing his own cock and centering himself over Yukio again. With a deep breath to steady himself - because Yukio’s reactions to him certainly had him needing to actively ignore his own arousal - he pressed in, burying himself thoroughly with one long, steady thrust to the hilt when Yukio’s body gave no resistance to the action. 

Yukio’s body arched entirely off the bed as he cried out, never having been prepared and fully taken so quickly. His small body had to stretch around Jushiro but there was no pain, only the intense pleasure of being ridiculously full and filled. His hands fisted into the bedding beneath him, his hips meeting the long, single thrust and his legs hitching to wrap around Jushiro's hips. He released a completely broken moan, feeling Jushiro so deep within him, feeling so full and claimed. 

Ichigo visibly shuddered when Jushiro fully took Yukio all at once, the smaller man obviously being overwhelmed by pleasure at the action. He had to clutch rather desperately at the blanket under him to keep from wanting to do something -  _ anything -  _ to relieve the mounting tension in his body. If Jushiro hadn’t clearly stated that he would remove the ring himself, and that Ichigo wasn’t even allowed to  _ ask  _ to have it removed, he would have done one or the other already, tormented by the entirely sexy image before him of Yukio wrapped around Jushiro and so thoroughly claimed by the man above him. 

Jushiro stayed still for several moments, allowing Yukio’s body to become accustomed to the intrusion after being so suddenly filled without warning. He didn’t mind that Yukio had wrapped his legs around him. In fact, the sensation of Yukio holding himself in position with his cock buried deep within him had Jushiro letting out more obviously labored breaths as he tried to keep his calm. As he felt Yukio completely relax around him, he couldn’t help but murmur praises as he kissed Yukio’s face, “So good, Yukio - you’re taking me so well - always so good for me, love - so gorgeous - trusting me like this.” At his last words, he took Yukio’s mouth in a deep kiss, immediately delving into his mouth, and at the same time he began rocking his hips in a quick, rough pattern that had him groaning, the sound easily swallowed between them. 

Yukio had never felt so utterly owned in his entire life - and it felt amazing. He was as deep into subspace as was possible for him, his mind completely blank, pleasure coursing through him. Jushiro was roughly taking both his mouth and his body and Yukio had surrendered completely, moving with him so he only rocked into him harder and faster. Each hard thrust connected with his prostate deep within him, causing him to cry out every time, entirely beyond words and wanting both for this to never end and to finally be allowed to come, long past the point of desperation, floating in an ocean of overwhelming pleasure. 

Jushiro was hardly even properly kissing Yukio, both of them uttering endless sensual sounds that didn’t truly allow for any focus toward anything but the feeling of slamming repeatedly into Yukio’s body. The unconscious way Yukio met his thrusts was driving Jushiro quickly toward climax, and he knew Yukio would have been begging if he was even capable of producing words at the moment, which he clearly wasn’t. “Yukio - love - I’m going to remove the ring - when I do - come for me, love,” he commanded, all but speaking into Yukio’s mouth. He knew he wasn’t going to receive a reply, but he also knew that if anything could reach Yukio in this depth of subspace, it was his or Ichigo’s voice. So he barely faltered in his pattern as he shifted to carefully but quickly remove Yukio’s ring, giving another unrelenting thrust against Yukio’s prostate and fully expecting him to come nearly immediately.

Yukio screamed as he was violently pushed into his climax, his hands shooting up to clutch at Jushiro's hair. His legs wrapping even tighter around his hips to keep Jushiro buried as deep in him as possible, pressed directly against his prostate as Yukio's body clamped down and pulsed around his hard length filling him. 

Jushiro’s breath hitched and he gave a stuttered groan when he felt Yukio tighten around him, his own climax effortlessly pulled from him and causing his legs to shake with the pure ecstasy that flooded him, quickly followed by blinding aftershocks. He was panting as his body calmed, and he lowered himself fully onto Yukio again, remaining buried within him but backing out a bit to keep from continually stimulating him as the final waves of his orgasm caused his cock to twitch and his core to tighten. “Yukio - love you - you’re so beautiful - feel so good around me, love,” he said between labored breaths, trying and failing to get his heart to cease its racing in his chest.

Ichigo was still tensely holding back his own sounds, watching as both of them were overtaken by their climaxes. They were both incredibly sexy, and hearing and seeing them this way was nearly torturous. Still, he tried to keep at least a semblance of calm, knowing that Yukio was ridiculously deep in subspace and not wanting even the impression of distress on his part to wrench him out too quickly.

As Yukio came down from his climax, his body continued to tremble. His arms slid back down to thump gently upon the bed, his breathing still entirely erratic and shallow, his heart rate still impossibly fast. His legs were still locked around Jushiro's hips, not willing to lose that deep, intimate contact with him. His hand blindly reached towards where he knew Ichigo must be,  _ needing  _ to feel him, as unfocused as his vision was and as quiet as Ichigo was being. He could barely get his arm to actually move, however, releasing a whine from the back of his throat. 

Ichigo didn’t need to be told that Yukio needed him, and he slid over to them, taking Yukio’s hand that was extended toward him and bringing it to his lips, kissing it several times before saying, “I’m here, my Yukio. I never went anywhere. I could never leave you.” He positioned himself next to Yukio but only contacted him from the waist up, knowing any contact or pressure on his achingly hard cock would only serve to distract him from Yukio, and he knew his partner needed to be his main priority in the state he was in, not even remotely having surfaced from the deep subspace he had fallen into.

Yukio relaxed instantly, feeling Ichigo’s hand and hearing his voice. After several minutes he was finally able to calm his breathing and heart rate, finally able to release his legs - shaking as they were - and lower them to the bed. His eyes had slipped closed as he calmed and when they opened again, they were significantly less hazy. And though it was clear he was still in a moderate subspace, he was at least able to focus on his two partners, smiling serenely at them both. 

Jushiro met Yukio’s eyes, carefully assessing his condition, and gave him a soft smile, kissing his cheek and shifting to nuzzle his nose into fine blonde hair. “Are you alright, love? Nothing I did caused you any pain, did it?” he asked quietly, pressing another kiss to his hair with the question.

"No, Meister. No pain. Felt amazing," Yukio murmured, smiling up at him. 

“Good,” Jushiro said softly, running a hand through Yukio’s hair for a moment before propping himself up on his hands. He glanced over at Ichigo with a grin that was borderline teasing, saying, “Ichigo, go quickly and get two more washcloths - one for now and one for when we’re completely finished - and come back here to clean us up.”

Ichigo nodded, kissing Yukio’s hand again before releasing it and sliding off the bed.

Jushiro looked down at Yukio, his smile softening a bit but the playfulness in his jade eyes never leaving. “I’m going to have Ichigo clean me with the washcloth, but I’ll direct him to clean you with his mouth. Is that alright, love?” he asked in a whisper.

Yukio’s emerald eyes widened, his breath hitching before responding, "Ja, Meister…"

“Good, Yukio,” Jushiro said softly, leaning down to kiss Yukio’s forehead before shifting to lay next to him, his arms coming around him to hold him close to his chest as they waited for Ichigo to return.

Ichigo reemerged moments later, placing the spare washcloth on the bedside table before joining the other two on the bed, sliding close to Jushiro and leaning over him to begin cleaning Yukio.

“No, Ichigo, clean me first,” Jushiro insisted, rolling onto his back but leaving one arm around Yukio.

Ichigo was a bit confused - not having any idea why it mattered - but did so anyway, wiping the remnants of Yukio’s release from Jushiro’s abs and then actually hesitating to do anything more. Obviously Jushiro had a certain way he wanted this done.

“Thank you, Ichigo. Now, give me the washcloth,” Jushiro instructed, holding his hand out to take it and tossing it onto the bedside table when Ichigo gave it to him. “Now, we’re going to continue with the scene, but before you take Yukio into your mouth, I’d like for you to clean him with your mouth as well. Can you do that for me - and for Yukio?” he asked calmly.

Ichigo gave a sound that was somewhere between a desperate whine and a frustrated groan at the direction, amber eyes finding Yukio and sweeping down his body. “Yeah, I can do that,” he finally replied.

“Good, Ichigo. Go on and get in position to do so,” Jushiro instructed.

Ichigo moved around Jushiro to get to Yukio, Jushiro sitting up and moving his legs to make it easier for him, and nudged Yukio’s legs apart to settle between them. He braced his hands on either side of Yukio’s hips, staring down at his lean, sexy body before bringing his eyes up to meet Yukio’s. “You’re so damn beautiful, Yukio,” he said quietly, the overt admiration clear in his desirous tone.

Yukio sucked in a trembling breath, whimpering at the praise. He reached down to cup Ichigo's cheek, his voice soft, emerald eyes glassy and dark, "Danke… You're so gorgeous, mein Ichigo…"

Ichigo smiled and turned to kiss Yukio’s palm. “Let’s not make it a competition, because you’d win every time. You’re just so much  _ everything  _ to me, my Yukio - sexy and adorable and beautiful and smart. Perfect,” he said as he leaned his cheek into Yukio’s hand. This context was the only time he was so liberal with his praise, but that didn’t change the fact that every bit of it was true. He thought all of those things about Yukio - all the time - and he would say them occasionally, but when the effects his words had weren’t undesirable, as they were when the three of them weren’t at home, he let his words run freely.

Yukio blushed heavily, his breath hitching and heart rate increasing slightly. He felt heat shoot down his spine and he whimpered out, "Ichigo…" He was always completely embarrassed that praise affected him this much but he couldn't help it - all he wanted was to please his partners and he loved that his body was actually appealing to them, as odd as that seemed to him when they both were so obviously sexy and handsome. 

Ichigo smirked a bit at Yukio’s reaction and lowered himself down to first kiss down Yukio’s body, beginning at his chest and trailing his lips down until he reached his abs, where he darted his tongue out to lick the release from his skin. He groaned at the taste, continuing a bit more enthusiastically.

Jushiro had positioned himself behind Ichigo, running a hand over the curve of his ass as a warning that he had moved. When Ichigo began his task of cleaning Yukio, he traced his entrance, which was already lubricated with Jushiro’s release, and pressed a finger in, sliding it easily down to the knuckle, the action causing Ichigo to groan even while having his mouth pressed to Yukio’s skin. The second finger entered just as easily, but Jushiro moved a bit more slowly, being sure that he wasn’t causing any pain while sinking it as far as it could reach. Jade eyes met with emerald, and Jushiro smiled before hooking his fingers slightly to gently press upon Ichigo’s prostate, pulling a long, low moan from the other man.

Ichigo’s actions stuttered a bit when Jushiro contacted his prostate, and the already nearly painful arousal running through him only intensified. Still, when he regained his bearings, the gentle massaging on the sensitive area spreading the sharp pleasure out into a steady warmth over his entire body, he continued, having cleaned Yukio’s abs and moving down to take his already half hard cock in his mouth. He swirled his tongue around it to be sure to actually clean any residue off before taking it in fully, moaning as he felt Yukio hardening at his actions.

Yukio groaned deeply, his fingers burying into the short, sunset orange hair. He didn't direct Ichigo's motion at all, just trying to ground himself from being brought back to arousal so quickly after being so thoroughly sated and edged by his master. It was frankly a bit exhausting but he couldn't deny that it felt amazing, and he really would do anything to please his partners. 

Jushiro watched Yukio closely as Ichigo lightly stimulated him, studying every expression for discomfort. When it seemed that he was settling into the pleasure again, Jushiro pressed a bit more firmly into the place inside Ichigo, causing him to give a muffled moan around Yukio’s cock. This edging wasn’t meant to last long - only until Yukio was ready to continue - so as soon as it seemed that Yukio was comfortable and clearly in pleasure, Jushiro slowly pulled his fingers out, smiling a bit as Ichigo tried to press back against them as they were removed. 

“Yukio, are you ready to proceed, love?” Jushiro asked softly, leaning around Ichigo to reach over and cup Yukio’s cheek in his hand. 

Heat flooded Yukio at exactly what Jushiro was about to direct him to do. He'd been a bit nervous before but he trusted Jushiro, knowing his master would never direct him to do anything that he didn't know Yukio was capable of doing well. His voice was soft and filled with desire as he responded, "Ja, Meister - I'm ready…"

Jushiro nodded and withdrew his hand from Yukio’s cheek, trailing the same hand up Ichigo’s back along the already nearly faded marks from the crop. “Ichigo, Yukio is ready. Release him and lie on your back next to him,” he instructed, his voice calm but full of command. This wasn’t the time for Ichigo to be at all rebellious, and he was sure Ichigo was aware of that. 

Ichigo gently withdrew his mouth from Yukio’s cock, moving up to kiss Yukio’s cheek before all but collapsing next to him on the bed. He was fervently ignoring his own need, though it was becoming quite difficult to do so. The only thing that kept him steady was the fact that Yukio would definitely need him to be at least mostly calm and patient for what was coming next. 

When Ichigo was positioned, legs already open invitingly, Jushiro directed Yukio, “Settle between his legs, love, but don’t do anything else yet. Do whatever you need to be comfortable - sit on your knees or lay on his chest. I’ll be right next to him, here for both of you the entire time.”

"Ja, Meister," Yukio responded, taking a calming breath and doing as instructed. He knelt between Ichigo's legs for a moment before leaning over his body. He was blushing faintly, emerald eyes sweeping over Ichigo's gorgeous form before laying down completely upon his chest, placing a soft kiss upon his skin. "Love you, mein Ichigo, so gorgeous," Yukio whispered, large, glassy emerald eyes peering up to meet heated amber. 

Ichigo’s breath hitched at the feeling of Yukio laying on top of him, putting pressure on his rather pressing arousal. Still, he breathed through the sensation, bringing a hand up to thread into Yukio’s hair, pushing it back from in front of his eye and smiling when he could see both. “Love you, my Yukio,” he murmured in reply. 

Jushiro had shifted to lay next to Ichigo, and he brought a hand to Yukio’s cheek to gain his attention. “Yukio, this is going to go completely at your pace. Ichigo is already well prepared and has already taken me, so you don’t need to worry about the possibility of causing him any pain - you won’t, I promise. Whenever you’re ready, you can begin, love,” he said gently, his thumb moving against the flawless skin of Yukio’s cheek. 

Yukio nodded, turning his head to kiss Jushiro's palm, responding, "Ja, Meister." He turned back to Ichigo, smiling as his partner immediately moved his hair out of his face again. He asked Jushiro softly, attention still on Ichigo, "May I have my hair braided so Ichigo can see both of my eyes, Meister?" He really didn't mind who braided it, but he knew Ichigo adored it that way, being able to see his entire face. 

Jushiro’s smile softened and he nodded. “Of course, love,” he replied, immediately reaching over to make quick work of braiding it, his months of practice making the task take no time at all. “Hold the end for a moment, Ichigo,” he instructed. He let go when Ichigo obeyed, turning to the bedside table to find a hair binder, several always seeming to be lying around in different parts of the house. 

When Jushiro secured Yukio’s braid, Ichigo let his hand move down to rest against Yukio’s cheek. “Love you so much, my Yukio. I wouldn’t have  _ asked  _ you to do that, you know,” he said quietly. But he was so grateful Yukio had thought of it. Seeing both of Yukio’s soft emerald eyes sent warmth through Ichigo’s body, love and admiration only more heavily mixing with the pure desire he had for this man. 

Yukio smiled, leaning into the touch upon his cheek, saying softly, "I can't think of anything I wouldn't do for you, mein Ichigo. If you ever want me to wear my hair this way, all you would ever need to do is ask. But I also want to fully see you and have you be able to fully see my face as I take you. I'm so happy  _ you're  _ my first this way, mein Ichigo. You're  _ mine.  _ I love you so much…"

Ichigo couldn’t help the desperate groan that surfaced at Yukio’s words. “All yours, Yukio - and you’re mine,” he nearly whined. He slid his hand back to lightly grasp at the shorter layers of Yukio’s hair, pulling him into a gently claiming kiss that had his hand trembling in Yukio’s hair and quiet, desperate whimpers getting lost between their mouths.

Yukio melted into the kiss, yielding to Ichigo's gentle claiming of his mouth. It almost seemed to him as if he had always belonged to Ichigo. Jushiro was his master, and he quite happily gave him complete control over him, but this was his Ichigo - the man who had claimed him and taken him under his protection long before Yukio had realized that was what he'd done. 

It was so humbling to Yukio to have a return claim on this man, to know Ichigo was  _ his  _ as well. He'd seen Ichigo with other partners - heard about far more - and there had only been a slight feeling of longing to be the one to have Ichigo that way. He'd never thought Ichigo would want him like this - he certainly couldn't subdue him, couldn't really give him any kind of fight. And he had no desire to take control, would have in fact been anxious if he were expected to. 

But when Ichigo had asked why Yukio had never taken this position with either of them and Yukio voiced those concerns - albeit slowly and haltingly - Ichigo had  _ insisted  _ on Yukio taking him, of being his first like this. Jushiro assured him that he would remain in full control and not allow Yukio to hurt Ichigo in any way, to make sure Ichigo would only be pleased with him. 

That's all Yukio ever really wanted, to please both men. 

He moaned into the kiss as well, waiting for Ichigo to release him in order to give him what they both now desperately wanted since Ichigo had brought it up. He didn't hold any power here - he didn't want any - he was only doing his best to pleasure Ichigo and he was entirely unable to stop this kiss himself or pull away from his hold. 

Ichigo kept a shaky grip on Yukio’s hair until he simply couldn’t stand the mounting heat in his body, Yukio’s weight pressing into him beginning to only worsen his already desperate state. When he unraveled his fingers from the fine blonde strands and pulled away from Yukio’s mouth, he was whining with every other breath, amber eyes dark and half-lidded with desire. “Please, my Yukio - need you,” he said, his voice pinched in his throat.

Jushiro placed a gentle hand on Yukio’s back, not wanting to distract him too much but needing to give him further direction. This had been their agreement anyway, Jushiro not wanting to put any expectations on either of them, knowing that Ichigo would be much too lost in pleasure to direct Yukio and Yukio never wanted control anyway. “Love, when you move down to take him, brace your hands on the bed on either side of him and prop yourself up to leave room for me to use the ice on his chest,” he said softly. It was more a reminder, because they had talked this out while organizing the scene, but Jushiro knew that having the verbal instruction and confirmation that Yukio was doing this to both of their satisfaction would do wonders for his confidence.

"Ja, Meister," Yukio responded softly. He lent down to kiss Ichigo’s cheek gently before moving back down his body, kneeling again and grabbing the bottle of lube to slick his own cock, groaning out at the feeling and not lingering long. He desperately wanted to feel Ichigo around him instead. He tossed the bottle aside and positioned himself as Jushiro had instructed, heated emerald eyes locking with desperate amber as he slowly and gently eased into Ichigo's body. 

His mouth fell open in a low, heated moan as he slowly sunk into him to the hilt, Ichigo's well prepared and already used body taking him effortlessly. "Mein Ichigo," Yukio gasped out as he stilled deep within him, "You feel so gut - so warm - so tight - Ahhhm -" He already wanted to move but this wasn't about what he wanted at all, this was for Ichigo's pleasure to him. So he waited for Ichigo to be ready, to feel filled as Yukio always loved feeling himself whenever either of his partners took his body, panting and trembling above him in new, heated pleasure. 

Jushiro had retrieved a small piece of ice from a bowl on the bedside table behind him, and he waited until Yukio was settled before pressing it to Ichigo’s chest, the already trembling and panting man hissing with the cold contact. 

Ichigo gasped when Jushiro began to trail the ice over his chest, the dual stimulation causing him to whine desperately, words spilling from his lips without much thought. “Yukio - my Yukio - feels so fucking good - all yours, Yukio -” He groaned at the feeling of Jushiro running a warm hand over where the ice had been, and brought still shaking hands up to lightly grasp Yukio’s hips, his fingers caressing the smooth skin. 

As he warmed Ichigo’s chilled skin, Jushiro turned his gaze to Yukio, instructing gently but clearly, “You may move within him, love. Do so slowly to edge yourself, and tell me when you can no longer hold back, then I’ll remove Ichigo’s ring and allow you both to come. Understand?”

"Ja, Meister - Danke," Yukio moaned out, his hips starting a slow rhythm that had his emerald eyes falling half-lidded in pleasure. "Ichigo," he breathed out, "You feel… so amazing… so gut… so perfect… Mein Ichigo…" The pleasure was already nearly overwhelming, Ichigo's body was so perfect around him. But he did as his master instructed, knowing if he focused through and went slowly, he could edge himself well past the point of Ichigo begging with him. If Ichigo did plead, Yukio knew he'd comply. He couldn't deny this man anything. 

When Yukio began slowly thrusting into him, Ichigo feeling the motion of his hips under his hands, Ichigo gave a low, broken moan that turned to an unbridled whine. He had been with many partners this way, but  _ none  _ compared to feeling Yukio this way - the man that was  _ his,  _ that he had claimed with his heart long before his mind recognized the decision. He looked down at his partner, and seeing both darkened emerald eyes so clearly in pleasure because of  _ his  _ body around him had more unrestrained sounds falling from his lips.

Jushiro was still working the ice over Ichigo’s chest, trailing down and over to find a nipple, the sensation causing a short, sharp cry to be drawn from Ichigo. He held it there for only a moment before pulling it away and tossing it back to the bedside table, not truly concerned about where it landed. He then brought his mouth to cover the affected skin, pressing his tongue to the cold nipple and simply holding there.

Ichigo groaned and melted under the attention of both Jushiro and Yukio. “Fuck - Jushiro - Yukio - so good,” the words came out as a low moan, likely barely understandable, but Ichigo was far from caring. His hands trailed up Yukio’s back and back down his sides, the slow, steady motions of his thrusts sinking Ichigo into unbelievable amounts of bliss.

Yukio was aware of only Ichigo, though he was continuously listening for any instruction Jushiro may give him. The pleasure was well and truly to the point where if he increased his pace or force at all, he'd definitely come. Ichigo felt beyond incredible around him. But he maintained the slow, gentle thrusts, his master’s instructions that he edge himself as long as possible clear in his head, moans and soft praise falling without thought from his lips as all thought except Ichigo's pleasure left him, emerald eyes becoming fully glassy, actions becoming automatic. 

Jushiro released Ichigo’s nipple from his mouth, kissing gently up his chest to his neck, stopping just below his ear to whisper, “Are you ready to come for Yukio?” 

Ichigo whimpered and shuddered rather harshly at the words. “Yes - please - so fucking ready,” he replied, fighting against the urge to move back against Yukio’s thrusts, not wanting to drive him over the edge when he knew Jushiro had instructed him to do this a specific way. There was no way Ichigo was going to be the reason he failed.

Jushiro kissed Ichigo’s neck one last time before reaching down between them, resting his hand just above Ichigo’s leaking cock and directing Yukio, “I’m going to remove Ichigo’s ring, love. Come when you feel him come around you.” He knew it would likely be an automatic reaction, but he also knew that Yukio wouldn’t allow it to happen - or at least  _ try  _ not to and likely cause himself pain by attempting to hold back - unless he gave explicit permission. Jushiro didn’t wait for a response, aware that Yukio had heard him, before removing the ring from Ichigo and quickly getting out of the way.

Ichigo gave a sound that was nearly a scream at the flood of heat that resulted from the sudden lack of pressure when the ring was removed, and he couldn’t stop himself from clutching desperately at Yukio’s hips, silently directing him into harder, faster thrusts that quickly drove him over the edge. When his climax claimed him, he moaned heavily, keeping his eyes focused on twin emerald,  _ needing  _ to see Yukio be driven to release from feeling his body clench around him.

Yukio cried out Ichigo's name as his hold on his hips had him drastically increase both his pace and force, his name falling from his lips like a mantra as he felt him tighten impossibly around him, felt his body pulse, felt his release against his abs. His own release was immediately pulled from him in response with his master’s permission and he buried himself hard and deep within Ichigo as he came, still desperately repeating his name, his entire body trembling with the force of his climax and aftershocks. 

Feeling Yukio fill him was likely one of the most satisfying things Ichigo had ever felt, and his breath shuddered at the sensation, his hands traveling up Yukio’s back and applying a bit of pressure to pull him down to rest on his chest. “Yukio - fuck, that was so good - you feel so amazing - want to feel you fill me over and over until I just can’t anymore - I’m so yours, Yukio,” he murmured, one hand moving up to bury into fine blonde hair, combing through and massaging Yukio’s scalp between caressing his hair.

Yukio’s breathing was far from calm as he rested upon Ichigo's chest, still buried deep within him. "Mein Ichigo -  _ mine _ \- love you, so, so much - so mine - mein Ichigo -" Yukio breathed out, his heart so full and calming along with his breathing. He felt himself slowly softening within Ichigo's hot, tight body but he didn't remotely want to move, wanting to remain within him as long as possible. "Love filling you, mein Ichigo - whenever you want me - I will - cause I'm yours -  _ your Yukio _ \- always, mein Ichigo…"

Ichigo smiled, relaxing his head back against the pillow, taking a deep, calming breath as he held Yukio against him. “Love you, so much, my Yukio,” he murmured. He could have stayed there for hours, feeling Yukio upon and inside him, but he knew eventually they would have to move. Still, he relished every moment he had this man in his arms, slowly running one hand through his hair and the other over his back, his eyes falling shut and a small smile on his lips as he just focused on  _ feeling  _ Yukio in every way he could.

Jushiro was completely unwilling to interrupt the two of them, watching from where he was laying on his side next to Ichigo, having backed away a bit after removing the ring from Ichigo. It was clear, even from the outside, that the two of them had wanted and loved one another for far longer than either of them had ever realized. There was such relief, satisfaction, and contentment in both of their expressions, and it brought a smile to Jushiro’s face to see them so incredibly  _ happy. _

Yukio whimpered quietly as he finally slid from Ichigo's body, emerald eyes still hazy with a moderate subspace. He pressed gentle kisses to the skin closest to his mouth, murmuring softly, "Love you, mein Ichigo… Danke… So much… For this - for taking care of me - for making me yours - for  _ everything…" _

When he felt Yukio disconnect from within him, Ichigo pulled him up to tuck Yukio’s head under his chin, tilting his head down to kiss his soft hair and wrapping his arms firmly around him to hold him against his body. “I couldn’t imagine my life without you, my Yukio. I’ll always be yours, and you’ll always be mine. You can have me, whenever you want me,” he whispered. He took a deep, steadying breath, but still he didn’t move, not until he was sure Yukio was ready, which could have been hours for all he cared. 

Yukio cuddled into Ichigo, his hand coming up to thread fingers into sunset orange hair, gently massaging as he continued to press kisses against Ichigo’s chest and nuzzle his cheek against him. He felt so incredibly peaceful and happy, wrapped in Ichigo’s arms. He looked over to find Jushiro's warm jade eyes and pleased expression, obviously happy to watch them together. Yukio smiled at him, his other hand reaching towards him. 

Jushiro took Yukio’s hand and slid closer until he was lying against Ichigo’s side. He kissed Yukio’s hand before wrapping it in both of his and holding it under his chin. “I love you both, so much. I feel so privileged to be able to share this with the two of you. Ichigo is always saying how grateful he is that  _ I  _ accepted both of  _ you,  _ but truly, I was the outsider here. I should be thanking both of  _ you -  _ for accepting me and keeping me in your lives. You already loved each other so much - it was obvious - and could have easily let me go after allowing me to teach you what I intended to teach you. But you kept me, and it was more than I ever could have asked for. Thank you -  _ so much,”  _ Jushiro said softly.

Ichigo turned his head to look at Jushiro, bringing one arm around his shoulders to pull him even closer. “I don’t think either of us could have easily let you go, Jushiro,” he assured him, leaning over the small distance to kiss Jushiro’s forehead.

Yukio released a slightly distressed noise at the mere idea, shaking his head. He didn't remotely want to consider his life without Jushiro in it, he  _ needed  _ him now - he and Ichigo both did - and he was distressed to think that Jushiro could possibly think either of them could leave him. He gripped Jushiro's hand firmly with his own, emerald eyes adamant, saying softly, "You're my Meister…" 

Jushiro’s heart leaped a bit at Yukio’s clear distress, and he immediately brought one hand to Yukio’s cheek, the other still firmly holding onto Yukio’s. “I know, Yukio, and I could never leave you. I couldn’t even imagine not having you. I am your master, and that means I’m  _ yours  _ for as long as you’ll have me,” he assured him, leaning in to kiss his forehead, resting his lips there for a moment and breathing in Yukio’s scent, his nose against the braid that held his hair back from his face. He truly did find peace being Yukio’s master, caring for Ichigo, being everything these men needed him to be. When he pulled away, he gave Yukio a calm smile. “Forever, if you want,” he whispered.

Yukio calmed immediately, tightening his grip on his hand as he said, softly but seriously, "Gut. Because I'll always need you.  _ You're  _ mein Meister - and I want you to be, forever. No one could possibly replace you for me - for either of us. I may have been alright before with Ichigo, happy as we were, but it was clearly wearing on him, acting like a protector - a master even - to me without either of us realizing. 

"We never would have been as close or comfortable with each other, until you. We never would have actually been together this way. We wouldn't have been nearly as happy, as content. And I  _ never  _ would have been able to be with Ichigo this way without you here - I would have been far too nervous and anxious. We  _ need  _ you, Meister.  _ You.  _ You are no more an outsider than either of us now, please don't see yourself that way…" Yukio’s emerald eyes were certain and pleading, desperately wanting Jushiro to understand. 

Jushiro squeezed Yukio’s hand, his gentle smile never wavering. “Thank you, Yukio. It means so much to hear you say that, love - that I could ever mean so much to both of you. I never imagined myself being a master. I never thought I  _ could  _ be. My  _ only  _ other partner was never so submissive. Really, Shunsui was much more like Ichigo, without the switch. I had heard of 24/7 TPE submissives, but I had never met one, never thought I even remotely had the self-discipline and  _ enough  _ dominance in my personality to be the master of one. 

“And then I met  _ you,  _ Yukio. And all I wanted to do was take care of you. From the first hour we spoke, I didn’t want you away from me. I honestly didn’t know it was possible to feel such a connection to someone in such a short time, but it was  _ strong  _ and completely undeniable. When Toshiro and I spoke about your constant light subspace, I knew I wanted to be your master, despite never having had any confidence before that I was even remotely cut out for such a thing. I’m so glad you’re so patient with me, love. I know I’m  _ still  _ far from perfect,” Jushiro chuckled a bit, leaning in again to kiss the braid along Yukio’s hairline. 

Yukio hummed and leaned into the kiss, whispering, "You're perfect for  _ me,  _ Meister. I don't mind being patient - I don't even see it that way. Of course I'll give you all the time you need. I know you only do and say things that benefit me - even Ichigo. I could never have found such an amazing Meister.  _ I'm glad  _ that  _ you _ were patient enough and willing to learn how to become my Meister. Danke…"

Jushiro smiled and pulled away enough to look into Yukio’s bright emerald eyes, which were mostly clear, just the light subspace Yukio nearly constantly lived in remaining. “I would do anything for you, love - and Ichigo as well. My tendency to become attached to those who submit to me… it led me to believe it would likely be a  _ long  _ time before I gained the confidence to actually seek out a new partner after Shunsui and I separated. I was convinced no one would have the kind of patience I required to form a bond before moving any further. I had to be  _ certain  _ that I was  _ willing  _ to be attached to that person if I was ever going to allow my dominant mindset to reveal itself, because if anyone were to ever react to it… the way you did, Yukio… I knew my heart would get involved. 

“When you submitted to me, love - even in the minor way that you did - I was frightened. I can’t be anything but honest with you now, Yukio. I was so afraid that you would never have me, but I was already completely unwilling to let you go. In an  _ hour,  _ I was already that invested in your wellbeing. I hope you can understand how that was completely terrifying for me. I had no idea if you even knew what had happened, if it was as strong for you as it was for me, whether you would even  _ come back.  _ I already loved you and wanted to care for you, Yukio. 

“I’m so happy that things turned out the way they did - that you wanted me to care for you, that Ichigo approved of me, and that we are so happy the way we are now. I love you both  _ so much,  _ and I wouldn’t give up either of you for the world,” Jushiro concluded with a kiss to Ichigo’s cheek and Yukio’s forehead.

Yukio smiled, responding softly, "As I said before, I felt like I had actually lost something when I left that first time, even after only an hour. I've never opened up to anyone, trusted anyone, so quickly. It was like my mind - my heart - already knew who you could be to me. I think I chose you then, without realizing. Much the same as I did with Ichigo as my protector. 

"I immediately knew I needed to see you again. I thought that was silly though, and I tried to ignore it. Ichigo wouldn't let me, insisted on coming back with me. And I'm so grateful he did. Because what we have now is perfect to me. Deep down, I knew I needed you from that first hour, and I'm so thankful that you  _ and  _ Ichigo were willing to be together, the three of us like this, that you felt the same as me…"

Ichigo ran his hands over Yukio’s back, tilting his head down to kiss the top of his head. “Of course I was willing to be with both of you. I’ve wanted to be with you this way for a while, and Jushiro is gorgeous. I think since I got to college I haven’t been able to say no to a gorgeous man that actually wanted me,” he teased with a light laugh.

Yukio giggled, shaking his head, "It certainly didn't seem like it."

Ichigo’s quiet laughter had faded to just a smile, and he turned to meet Jushiro’s eyes. “I can admit that I never actually loved any of them, though. Some of them turned into friends, people I talked to even after we moved on to other relationships, but I never actually  _ loved  _ any of them. Definitely not the way I love both of you. I wasn’t really planning to find anyone to really settle down with before I finished college, but I knew I didn’t want to move after I graduated. Most people do, so I figured forming any kind of lasting bond with anyone was pretty pointless. 

“It was already bad enough that I didn’t want to lose Yukio when we both graduated. At least he was continuing to do graduate work, so I had a couple more years before I had to think about him leaving. When I offered for him to move in with me, I… had a feeling I wasn’t going to be dating much anymore after that anyway. I had finally just owned up to the fact that I wanted Yukio with me - all the time - and no one else ever made me feel that way. So, whether Yukio ever wanted to be in a romantic relationship with me or not, I was pretty attached to him. 

“Finding you was really the best thing that could have happened to both of us. Like Yukio said, we would’ve just stayed the way we were… I would’ve never known why I was always so mentally drained, why I never felt like I could relax, and we would have been happy, I guess, just being with each other, but… not like  _ this,”  _ Ichigo mused, his voice low and thoughtful.

Jushiro closed the distance to gently kiss Ichigo’s lips, pulling away after a short moment during which Ichigo gave a small, contented hum. “I’m just so grateful for both of you, for so many reasons. I could write entire books and it would never be enough to express how much I truly love and appreciate both of you. But, that would take far too much time, and I’m sure the two of you are probably quite looking forward to a shower,” he said with a chuckle. 

Ichigo laughed. “Yeah, we’ve gotta get cleaned up. You good to get up, Yukio?” he asked.

"Ja, I'm gut, mein Ichigo," Yukio responded, smiling and placing another kiss against his chest. 

Ichigo hoisted himself up, Yukio shifting with the movement to be on his knees between Ichigo’s legs by the time he was sitting up fully. Ichigo brought a hand to Yukio’s chin, tilting his face up and kissing his soft lips gently. When he pulled away to meet emerald eyes, he smiled. “I’m glad you stopped biting your lip so much,” he said quietly. It was a comment he made often, his way of showing his satisfaction and approval of Yukio’s actions, and he knew Yukio thrived on having his partners be pleased with him. “Hold onto me and I’ll carry you to the bathroom,” he added, his constant smile still present.

Yukio nodded, doing as Ichigo instructed. As Ichigo took him into his arms, he held onto him and kissed his neck before nuzzling into him, humming in contentment. 

The three of them went to the attached bathroom, Jushiro joining them and keeping pace with one arm around Ichigo’s back and the other hand holding Yukio’s. Jushiro took charge of turning on the shower, monitoring the temperature while Ichigo held Yukio securely against his chest. Once the water was warm, he pulled them into the shower with him. 

As Ichigo stood under the flow of the water, Jushiro brought the hand that was around Ichigo’s back to Yukio’s chin, coaxing him to look at him. With a small smile, he pulled the tie from the end of Yukio’s braid and unweaved his hair, letting it fall back in front of his left eye. “I’d like to take care of you both today, and we still have several hours before bed, so I’ll wash your hair as well,” he said, jade eyes flicking from Yukio to Ichigo.

Ichigo nodded, leaning over to kiss Jushiro’s cheek. “Sounds good to me,” he said when he pulled away.

"Ja, Meister," Yukio answered, smiling and leaning into the hand in his hair. His own hand reached out, stroking Jushiro's long, snowy white strands as well, half stating/half requesting, "I would like to comb through your hair till it dries again…"

Jushiro nodded, giving Yukio a calm smile as he said, “Of course, love. If you’d like, you can wash my hair for me. There’s enough space for me to sit on the floor of the shower and be out of the water, if that’s something you want to do.”

Yukio blushed, saying, "Ahhm… I would love to wash your hair… But I'm sure I can reach if Ichigo doesn't mind continuing to hold me - you don't need to sit on the floor…"

Jushiro shrugged. “Whatever is more comfortable for both of you. Let me wash you both first, though,” he insisted. “Put Yukio down for a moment, Ichigo,” he instructed as he turned to retrieve what he would need from the recessed shelf in the wall of the shower. 

When Ichigo obeyed, Jushiro set himself to his task, gently but thoroughly washing them both in turn, the soft smile never leaving his lips as he did so. Caring for both Yukio and Ichigo had become his purpose - his entire focus anytime he was with them - and he loved it. He never thought for even a moment that he was missing anything all those years he was with Shunsui - he still didn’t believe he was - but he never even remotely thought that having two partners would benefit him. It seemed like a burden, an emotional toll, to account for the needs of  _ two  _ people. 

But Ichigo and Yukio had proven him wrong in the best possible way. 

Having both of these men in his life, caring for them as they cared for him, was more fulfilling than he could have ever imagined. 

Jushiro took his time washing both Yukio’s and Ichigo’s hair after he finished cleaning their bodies, treating them both to a long, slow massage that had them both leaning into his hands and giving soft contented sounds that made his heart feel impossibly full and warm. By the time he coaxed them both back under the spray to rinse them, even Ichigo was responding to even the slightest touch. “Go on and pick Yukio back up, Ichigo,” Jushiro said softly. As Ichigo obeyed, lifting Yukio up into his arms easily and holding him against his chest, Jushiro stood under the water for a moment to wash himself off quickly and wet his hair. When he was finished, he stepped to the side out of the flow of the water and turned his back to the other two, holding the shampoo bottle over his shoulder for Yukio to take. 

Ichigo held him high enough against his body that Yukio could see over his head, especially when Ichigo lowered his own head to rest against Yukio's shoulder. It was actually very comforting, since usually Yukio's neck and shoulder was simply too low to do such a thing. His arms were free to handle the shampoo, completely trusting Ichigo to support him, and he poured a liberal amount onto his palm before handing the bottle back to Jushiro. 

He worked the shampoo into his beautiful hair, amazed that the white strands actually became nearly transparent when drenched like this. He used his fingers to comb through, making sure to wash every strand, massaging his scalp thoroughly and smiling at the way Jushiro relaxed under the gentle treatment. He continued a bit longer than necessary, simply loving being able to actually do this, before finally murmuring, "It needs to be rinsed out now, Meister. I can do it, if you step under the water…" 

Jushiro simply did as Yukio requested, Ichigo following to keep Yukio within easy reach. This was one thing that had always made Jushiro doubt even himself as a dominant. He never did switch, didn’t feel even the hint of something that could be called subspace - never finding it necessary to follow orders and never feeling like he was fighting his mind into awareness to keep from falling - but he was able to fully relax and allow his submissive partner to care for him. In fact, he loved this type of treatment, leaning a bit into Yukio’s touch as he massaged his scalp. He had long since embraced the fact that this was simply what he liked, and it had no bearing on his abilities as a dominant. He was relieved that he had found that confidence before meeting Yukio so that he truly could be everything this sweet man needed him to be.

Yukio continued running his hands through Jushiro's hair long after it ran clear. Playing with and taking care of his Meister's hair really was one of his favorite and most relaxing activities. It was so soft, so beautiful, and so healthy - he wanted to help keep it that way, to touch it, and it was so unique to Jushiro that he always felt grounded while feeling and seeing it, knowing that his Meister was so near to him. He'd never seen another person with Jushiro's hair and it may seem silly but he adored that, and he loved that he had the privilege of caring for this strong, kind, gorgeous man. 

Jushiro glanced over his shoulder at Yukio, smiling when he saw Ichigo watching Yukio’s actions with a soft, admiring expression. Yukio seemed completely focused, entranced with running his fingers through his hair, and he truly didn’t want to interrupt him, but after spending so long with the water running it was beginning to turn a bit cool. “Yukio, you can continue to take care of my hair for me when we get out of the shower, alright? The water is getting cold,” he said over his shoulder.

Yukio blushed lightly, saying softly, "Ja, Meister… Sorry - I got a bit carried away…"

Jushiro reached to turn off the water, and then turned to face Yukio and Ichigo, bringing a hand to Yukio’s cheek and kissing him gently. “It’s alright, love. I really do love when you take care of my hair, or touch it at all, really. We’ll get dried off, go upstairs and get dressed and then we’ll relax in bed and you can comb my hair for as long as you want,” he said softly when he pulled away.

Yukio’s expression brightened and he giggled, saying, "You and Ichigo may both want to grab a book then."

Ichigo laughed, putting Yukio back down when Jushiro reached out to get towels for each of them. He took one for Yukio first, draping it over his shoulders before taking one and drying himself. “That might not be such a bad idea. I know it’s not even close to late, but if I don’t have something and I’m just watching you comb Jushiro’s hair in a silent room, I’d probably fall asleep,” he said with a chuckle.

Jushiro had quickly dried himself and was squeezing the excess water from his hair as he said, “Then, Ichigo, when we go upstairs, after you get dressed go to the library and get a book for each of us. The one I’ve been reading is on the table between the armchair and the chaise.”

“Why do I have to get dressed first? Toshiro and Ulquiorra are out for the night, so we’re the only ones here,” Ichigo pointed out, almost sounding as though he was complaining just about putting on clothes.

Jushiro sighed and shook his head, though there was a fond smile on his face. “Alright, then wander the house naked. I truly don’t care. That was only the order I would have done things in myself,” he said exasperatedly.

Yukio laughed lightly, shaking his head. "I don't know how often Ichigo would wear clothing at all at home if Toshiro and Ulquiorra weren't living here with us. I love that they are though - I would never want them to leave…" Yukio was quick to add, clutching the towel around his small body, feeling a bit cold. He usually felt cold when not clothed or being held. 

Jushiro tossed his towel out to the hamper before approaching Yukio and kneeling before him, taking the towel from around him and using it to dry his still wet skin and damp hair. “You don’t need to worry about that, Yukio. I’m fairly certain that both of them plan to stay, even after they both finish college and get jobs. They may not be around as much after that, depending on the demands of their careers, but they’ll still be here. If they ever did consider moving out, I  _ know  _ they would stay near for us - for  _ you.  _ They both love you, Yukio,” he said as he finished drying him.

Yukio smiled happily, faintly blushing as he said softly, "I don't think Toshiro would ever want to live far from you, Meister. You're so important to him. And Ulquiorra really respects and cares about you too. But… If I'm even a small part of the reason they would stay with us, that makes me really happy. I love them both. I never had any siblings but they've both become something like that to me - even Ulquiorra is like a quiet, protective older brother," Yukio said, smiling warmly. 

Jushiro returned Yukio’s smile, stepping away for only a moment to throw the towel out to the hamper. When he returned, he scooped Yukio up into a bridal carry, bending to kiss the tip of his nose. “You are so important to all of us. I know if Toshiro and Ulquiorra decided to stay longer than they had initially planned it would largely be because of you,” he said as he carried Yukio out of the shower, Ichigo following close behind.

Yukio's arms came up to wrap around Jushiro's neck lightly as he nuzzled into his chest, placing a kiss there, whispering, "I'm glad then. I love our family, Meister." 

“I do, too, love,” Jushiro said quietly, holding Yukio against him a bit tighter. When he reached the stairs, he shifted Yukio in his arms, the smaller man adjusting to the change easily and wrapping his legs securely around Jushiro’s waist as he brought his hands to support under his hips, hoisting him high enough for Yukio to rest his chin on his shoulder. “It’ll be easier to carry you up the stairs this way, and now you can see Ichigo. You know, in case you wanted to,” he murmured with a light chuckle.

Ichigo laughed at the quiet words as he followed up the stairs. “Yukio always wants to see me, especially when I don’t have any clothes on,” he teased, giving Yukio a mischievous grin.

Yukio giggled, returning his smile, "You're gorgeous, Ichigo. Of course I want to see you. I certainly don't mind your aversion to clothing."

Ichigo caught up to them when they reached the top of the stairs, reaching around Jushiro to grasp at Yukio’s sides, causing Jushiro to stumble back a bit and laugh. Ichigo pressed his lips to Yukio’s, amused by the fact that their faces were nearly level with his chin on Jushiro’s shoulder. He hummed into the contact for a moment, not releasing the two of them when he pulled away. “Can we just cancel the whole ‘getting dressed’ thing?” he asked, his voice a bit heated as he spoke against Yukio’s lips.

Jushiro turned only a bit, enough that he could meet Ichigo’s eyes.  _ “I’m  _ at least putting on pants. I’m just more comfortable that way. It is up to Yukio whether he wants to do the same, but I know he wants to comb my hair, so even if  _ both  _ of you remain unclothed, please allow him to do that before suggesting doing anything else. And honestly, after everything we just did, you truly want more?” he asked, his tone equaling Ichigo’s teasing.

Ichigo wrapped his arms around both of them, hugging them before stepping back. “Nah, I’m just teasing Yukio,” he replied, leaning in to kiss Yukio’s cheek.

Yukio was blushing deeply, from the words and the kiss as he stammered out, "If… you would… rather… I can… remain this way… You'd have to hold me, though, while I take care of Meister's hair… cause otherwise… I'll get really cold…"

Ichigo laughed and brought a hand up to Yukio’s cheek. “Actually, I want to cuddle with Jushiro while we read, like we do when we’re in the library, if that’s okay. You can put clothes on, it’s alright,” he assured him.

Yukio nodded, still blushing as he nuzzled his cheek against Ichigo’s hand. "Ja, of course, mein Ichigo. I only want to make you both happy…"

Ichigo smiled and ran his thumb over Yukio’s cheek before pulling away. “You always make us happy, my Yukio. Now, I’m going to go get our books and meet the two of you in the bedroom,” he said, turning and going to complete his task.

Jushiro carried Yukio into the bedroom, helping him into his sleep clothes before dressing himself. He knew Yukio didn’t  _ need  _ help - it would be ridiculous to think he did - but it was yet another way he could care for his sweet submissive. They were just getting settled on the bed, Yukio sitting behind Jushiro, when Ichigo entered, tossing two books on the bed before pulling on his sleep pants and getting on the bed, settling lying between Jushiro’s legs with his head resting on Jushiro’s thigh, initially lying on his back and just looking up at his partner. He reached up to cup Jushiro’s cheek in his hand, smiling when he turned to kiss his palm. 

“This is nice, really. Being able to be together and comfortable like this. It’s so different from any of my other relationships. There was just always so much… tension. Expectation. Anything like this couldn’t be casual. I couldn’t lay between someone’s legs without them thinking I wanted something or  _ them  _ wanting something from  _ me,”  _ Ichigo said before dropping his hand from Jushiro’s face and turning onto his side to nuzzle his cheek into Jushiro’s thigh.

Jushiro ran his hand through Ichigo’s hair, smiling as Ichigo gave a content sigh. “I’m so glad you feel that way with us, Ichigo. I know that was simply how your relationships functioned before, but I still almost want to console you. No one should feel pressured that way,” he said softly, his voice calm and soothing.

Ichigo shrugged slightly. “It’s just how it was, like you said. I don’t feel like it was really all that bad. I always had Yukio that didn’t expect anything like that from me,” he replied.

Yukio leaned forward, reaching around Jushiro to run a hand through Ichigo's hair, peering at him, his head cocked to the side and chin against Jushiro's forearm. "It sounds like you already were treating me more like a partner than any of them," Yukio stated softly, "being comfortable and relaxed, spending so much time with me. Now that you mention it, you really did only leave me to be physically with another man, always returning soon afterwards. And for some reason I didn't think that was odd - I only ever felt happy that you came back to me. 

"I would have been everything to you, would have been with you that way, had you indicated at all that you wanted me to. I wanted to. But you're right in that I never expected anything from you. I wouldn't have even if our relationship became intimate - I don't now. I want all you want to give but I will never  _ expect  _ anything of you. I simply love being with you - being with you both," Yukio murmured, kissing Jushiro's arm before resting his chin against it again, emerald eyes still gazing at Ichigo. 

Ichigo smiled, but didn’t move at all, too much enjoying the feeling of both of the others’ hands in his hair. “You know how I feel about how we used to be, Yukio. There was too much riding on us just being friends. If you  _ didn’t  _ want to be more physical with me and you felt like I was pressuring you, I wasn’t even going to entertain the risk of you not wanting to be around me anymore. So I just kept it to myself, used other guys as a sort of outlet, I guess. 

“But if this is what happiness is, I wasn’t really happy that way. I’m happy  _ now,  _ with both of you, no matter what we’re doing,” he said, still smiling serenely as both Jushiro’s and Yukio’s hands carded through his hair. 

“And we’re certainly happy with you, Ichigo,” Jushiro murmured, trailing his hand down from Ichigo’s hair to his cheek, his fingertips tracing along his sharp jawline before lifting the contact completely, watching as Yukio continued to run his hand through sunset orange hair. 

"Always happy with you, mein Ichigo," Yukio said softly, leaning around Jushiro completely to kiss Ichigo’s cheek, his other arm wrapped around Jushiro's lower back. 

Ichigo gave a small hum at their words, reaching across Jushiro’s leg to pull the books toward them. “Well, Yukio, I’m glad you’ve always been happy with me. You’re completely right, though. If this is what it’s like to be in a real relationship, with partners that care about something other than what they can get from you, then I guess we have been treating each other like we were partners all that time. In fact, as soon as I pick up this book, it’s pretty close to exactly how we would have been, just with Jushiro between us,” he said with a small laugh. 

Yukio giggled, kissing him again before sitting back, properly behind Jushiro, his fingers gently working through the long hair. "Ja, you're right. I always loved sitting with one another, you reading while I played a game. Every time, you'd sit far closer than you needed to, just to let me lean into you, cuddling. And I loved it. You didn't know it at first, but no one in my whole life had been anything close to physically affectionate with me… I always felt so happy and warm whenever you were…"

Ichigo picked up the book that was his, but didn’t open it quite yet, smiling at the memory of sitting in Yukio’s dorm room, cramped as it was, and holding the smaller man against his side. It was then that he realized… “You’re not the only one. I felt… warm and happy, too, when I was with you. Really, being alone with you was the only time I was really at peace.”

Yukio hummed in agreement, picking up the comb and starting to gently comb through Jushiro's hair, starting at the ends as he always did, slowly working his way up. "I know that was true for me. My anxiety almost entirely disappeared during those times - I could actually joke around with you, laugh, be myself. And I treasured each time you would hold me or hug me. I was so concerned about losing that connection, that time alone together when you graduated. And I was so relieved when you said you wanted to move in together."

Ichigo chuckled quietly. “And now here we are, in this nice house with Jushiro. It’s totally better than any apartment we could’ve been able to afford. I almost feel bad sometimes, like I should be paying for  _ something,”  _ he admitted, turning his head just enough to find Jushiro’s warm jade eyes. 

“No, Ichigo, you both know I’ll never make you pay me anything, not even for food. This is your  _ home,  _ and I would never make you uncomfortable by giving you any kind of financial obligation when I am more than capable of handling it myself. I paid for everything myself when it was just me and Toshiro. Having a few more people in the house now doesn’t affect the costs much,” Jushiro insisted. He relaxed into the feeling of the comb running through his hair, giving a light sigh before picking up his book. “Besides, you’re both my partners, not my roommates or renters. It would be ridiculous for me to ask you to pay bills I can already afford,” he pointed out as he opened his book to the page that held the bookmark in place. 

"My parents started sending me a stipend to pay for an apartment, actually…" Yukio informed softly, the practiced motions of combing Jushiro's hair never faltering and calming him as he forced out the words that had been lingering in the back of his mind, not knowing how to bring the subject up at all. "Since that was where I was going to have to live, before… 

"I… haven't talked to them since all this happened… They didn't even call when I graduated… I'm really grateful that you, Toshiro, Ulquiorra, and Ichigo's family came to see me actually walk and receive my diploma… Well, I'm sure Ichigo's family mainly came to see him but it was still nice… Yuzu has always been especially kind to me, the few times I've seen her… 

"I never expected anything different… So I'm not sure why that hurt… But… I just couldn't bring myself to call them myself… Vater doesn't even know I'm gay… I'm certain he would properly disown me if he knew I was with you both… If they knew I was living here… I wouldn't care at this point but I need them to pay for my education still… So… I haven't corrected the assumption that I'm living in my own apartment now… I've just been saving the money…" Yukio admitted softly. 

Jushiro sighed. He knew Yukio still had an incredibly difficult time communicating with his parents, and he honestly didn’t blame him. They had been nothing but neglectful toward him, even if they did provide for him financially. But he couldn’t allow Yukio to continue this way, essentially stealing his parents’ money under false assumptions. “Yukio… you don’t have to tell them that we’re actually together. But you need to tell them that you found a place to live expense-free. It doesn’t really sit well with me that they’re sending you money for a specific purpose and you’re not using it for that purpose. 

“If you  _ wanted  _ to tell them about us… I would support you. And if they stopped sending you any money at all, I know that would be the last bit of connection to them disappearing… and I know that would hurt you. It’s more than just money, and I know that. It’s the  _ only  _ thing they do for you. But… if the truth surfaced somehow, or you actually  _ wanted _ to tell them, we would continue to support you, in every sense of the word. I had savings in a fund for Toshiro’s college that I only had to use a small fraction of because he was awarded so many scholarships. I still have the money I didn’t use. I would give it to you, Yukio, and help pay for the rest of your schooling,” Jushiro offered, looking over his shoulder a bit to catch emerald eyes. 

Before Yukio could respond, Ichigo sat up a bit and leaned around Jushiro to find Yukio, amber eyes completely serious as he said, “And I’ll be getting a job soon. I’ve been putting in applications. Since I don’t have to pay for anything here, the only bill I’ll have is my student loans. I’ll use the extra to pick up anything Jushiro can’t pay for.”

Yukio was legitimately overwhelmed. He honestly didn't know what he had expected their responses to be, but it certainly wasn't  _ this.  _ College was far from inexpensive and he'd feel terrible if he allowed Jushiro and Ichigo to pay for it. He didn't feel the same allowing his parents to do so, he felt like it was honestly the least they could do, considering. It really was his last connection to them. And maybe he was sentimental about losing that. He didn't want to be but he couldn't help a small part of him still wanting  _ some  _ positive acknowledgement from them. 

"I'll call…" Yukio murmured, having to pause his actions of combing Jushiro's hair to brush away tears, so completely touched that his partners would do such a thing for him. They hadn't even had to consider it, they instantly just offered to lift that burden from him, like it was such an easy decision to make. "I wouldn't feel right, asking so much from either of you. 

"Ichigo, you have your own loans to pay, and Meister, you already do so much for me - including having us both live with you rent-free… I'll tell them that I do not require them to continue paying for my living expenses… If they ask why, I'll tell them the truth… But… I sincerely doubt they'll inquire… They don't really care what I do as long as I get impeccable grades and don't bring them any bad publicity… 

"And I really don't know how I would handle it if they said anything negative about either of you or our relationship - it shouldn't affect me, not anymore, but I know it would really hurt… They honestly don't deserve to know, don't deserve to have an opinion, because they're not my family. I don't know if they ever really were. You both, Toshiro, Ulquiorra -  _ you're  _ my family… My parents… They don't deserve to know anything about me anymore…" Yukio whispered, still having to wipe away quiet tears as they escaped emerald eyes, feeling a confusing mixture of abandonment and deep love from two very different sources. 

Jushiro shifted a bit, Ichigo reading his actions and sitting up from his lap, and turned to take Yukio in his arms, pulling him into his lap and bringing a hand up to help him wipe his tears away as they continued to fall. When he realized it would be a while before his cheeks were truly dry, Jushiro took Yukio’s hand firmly in his own, his other arm holding him securely against him, jade eyes soft as they met tear-filled emerald. He shifted his gaze only for a moment, smiling when Ichigo came to sit next to them, an arm around Yukio and his nose nuzzled into fine blonde hair. 

When he turned his gaze to again capture Yukio’s eyes, he said softly, “Yukio, you’re not  _ asking  _ anything of us. We  _ want  _ to do this for you. Money is just money to me. Don’t feel that you’re inconveniencing me by allowing me to give it to you. You know luxuries and material things mean very little to me. If I could use that money for something meaningful, like helping you through college, that would be much more satisfying to me than having that money for myself or using it to buy things. So, don’t worry about that at all.

“And if your parents choose to let you go, I know for certain they’re missing out on a beautiful, intelligent, incredible young man that they never even gave a chance. I know, they’re your  _ parents,  _ and it won’t be a simple thing to let that go. But we’ll be here for you, every minute you need us, while that wound heals and every moment after.  _ We  _ are never letting you go. I am your master, and this is your Ichigo -” Jushiro moved the hand that was wrapped around Yukio’s back to run it over Ichigo’s hair before returning his hold to Yukio, “- and we could  _ never  _ leave you.”

"Danke… Meister… Mein Ichigo…" Yukio murmured, letting his tears fall, feeling so completely  _ loved  _ by both of these men. 

He never thought he would have this, somehow convinced that, because his own parents couldn't see anything in him worth loving, that no one would. But he had  _ two  _ wonderful partners that so obviously cared for him, that  _ wanted  _ to take care of him, that he loved desperately in return. 

_ They _ were family. 

And he knew for certain… 

_ They  _ were never letting him go. They were his Meister and his Ichigo - they would  _ never  _ leave him. 

And  _ he  _ would never let  _ them  _ go. 


	4. Iota

Ichigo hadn’t been more nervous for a birthday in his life. Not even when he turned twenty-one and his friends were dead set on getting him wasted. Really, he would probably need alcohol to survive the day. But at least he had until six o’clock that evening to relax and spend time with Jushiro and Yukio. 

And that was what they had spent the morning and early afternoon doing. They had woken rather early to Toshiro and Ulquiorra treating them to homemade cinnamon rolls. Ulquiorra had rather backhandedly claimed that the special breakfast was his birthday gift to Ichigo, though he had made the statement with a small smile that didn’t hold a bit of malice. Ichigo’s relationship with Ulquiorra had changed drastically from their first few interactions, and though Ulquiorra’s dry sense of humor and sarcasm did sometimes catch Ichigo off-guard, there was no longer any real suspicion or dislike behind the comments. 

From there, Jushiro had insisted that they go out, not spend the day lazing around the house. He had actually taken the day off, bringing in one of his few employees to work the earlier shift as he usually did, since it was a Tuesday. They had already gone to two used bookstores for Ichigo and a store that sold nearly everything video game related one could imagine, including near-perfect-condition consoles that weren’t in production anymore, for Yukio. At first, Yukio had protested, saying this was Ichigo’s birthday and he shouldn’t be forced to spend so much time browsing a store that he wasn’t even interested in, but Ichigo assured him that seeing his face light up every time he found something new to look at was well worth the two hours they had spent in the store. 

Their final stop before going back home was a sandwich shop for a rather light lunch, knowing that they had dinner obligations that evening. Once they were seated in a booth and settled with their food, Jushiro looked over at the two across from him, just admiringly running his eyes over them with a fond smile. 

“What’s up? You look like you’re going to say something,” Ichigo said, returning Jushiro’s smile with a bit of suspicion. With how the day had progressed - completely focused on him and his interests - he had reason to believe Jushiro had something else planned.

“I have a gift for you, Ichigo,” Jushiro replied, reaching into his pocket and producing a plain silver ring. “Happy birthday, Ichigo. I wanted to give you something that would remind you of me - of us - even when you’re not with us,” he said, his smile brightening.

Ichigo took the ring from Jushiro’s open palm, sliding it onto his right ring finger and looking at it for a moment before bringing amber eyes back up to meet with jade. “Thank you, Jushiro. It’s really nice… I - I don’t really know what else to say. I’ve never really been good at receiving gifts,” he said with a chuckle. He held his hand out in front of Yukio, who was sitting as close to him as possible without hindering him from eating. “Nice, huh? I think it looks good,” he said, lightly laughing again.

Yukio took his hand, looking at the simple, silver ring and giving Ichigo a smile, "Ja, it's beautiful. I actually like that it's plain - you can always wear it. It won't look odd and it won't catch on anything. So you always can have something on you that Meister gave you."

While Yukio’s attention was claimed by Ichigo’s ring, Jushiro reached into his pocket again discreetly. “I’m glad you like it so much, Yukio. I would wait until your birthday to give you this, but I’m sure you won’t mind  _ not  _ waiting nearly six months for it,” he said, resting his open hand on the table in front of Yukio, another matching silver ring in his palm.

Yukio blushed, slowly taking the offered ring. He handled it reverently as Jushiro had never given him something like this before - and it  _ matched  _ Ichigo's. It even fit on the same finger. As he slid it on, he whispered, "Danke, Meister…" He grinned up at Ichigo, showing him his hand in the same way Ichigo had just done to him. 

Ichigo chuckled, reaching to take Yukio’s right hand in his own, folding their fingers together and smiling at the two matching rings side by side. “Looks good, Yukio,” he said quietly.

Jushiro smiled, taking the last ring from his pocket and sliding it onto his own finger, holding his hand up and saying, “I have one of my own as well. I wanted  _ all  _ of us to have something that we could always have on us, to remind us of one another when we’re apart.”

Ichigo looked up when Jushiro spoke, his grin only widening. “Guess there’ll be no doubt we belong to each other now,” he said, throwing his arm around Yukio and holding him against his side in a semblance of a hug.

Yukio leaned into him, saying softly, "I love it. I love belonging to you both. Again, danke, Meister…" Yukio shifted slightly as he spoke to pull a box from his light jacket. It was warm outside but, as easily as he got cold, the air conditioning in buildings tended to be too strong for him to be comfortable. "Also, I got you a present as well, mein Ichigo…" He offered the box, blushing faintly. He'd never really given a present before - he and Ichigo had agreed early on not to exchange any presents when they were friends. But, now that they were decidedly more, Yukio had desperately wanted to give him something, wanted a tangible symbol that Ichigo was  _ his  _ now, and Meister's. 

Ichigo took the box from Yukio and opened it, feeling his smile brighten impossibly more when he found a bracelet. He pulled it out to get a better look, running his thumb over the silver snowflake that was held in place on either side by a soft leather band. He put it on immediately, on his right wrist so he could always see both of his new accessories at the same time. “I love it, Yukio. Of course a snowflake is always going to remind me of you,” he said with a chuckle. He hugged Yukio to his side again, tilting his head down to kiss his fine blonde hair. “Thank you, my Yukio. Good thing I’ve got six months to figure out what I’m getting you two, because now there’s a high bar being set,” he teased.

Jushiro laughed, saying, “You know I never give anything expecting something in return. There are no expectations, Ichigo.” 

"And I know we once agreed not to exchange presents during events like this, but I couldn't help it," Yukio murmured, running his fingers over the bracelet now worn proudly upon Ichigo's right wrist. "I would never expect you to reciprocate…"

Ichigo shook his head, laughing a bit. “I know neither of you would ever ask for anything, but that’s exactly why I’m going to get you both something anyway,” he said, turning his beaming smile from Yukio to Jushiro. 

The meal proceeded with light conversation, Ichigo’s eyes constantly flicking to his right hand, a smile always coming to his face when he saw the ring and bracelet that connected him to his partners. He really would have to come up with something to give them both - something just as meaningful to remind each of them of  _ him.  _

Ichigo was barely halfway finished eating, though, when a voice rang out across the small restaurant that made his eyes widen and his skin crawl. 

“Ichigo!” his name was called, though the last syllable was drawn out for an ungodly number of uncomfortable seconds as he sat frozen in his seat. He tightened his arm around Yukio, who was thankfully sitting on the inside of the booth seat, away from the rest of the room. Ichigo considered it fortunate because poor Yukio would have likely been barreled right over when the one who had called his name all but tackled him, the assault led by an extended fist that Ichigo had developed - by necessity - the reflexes to catch before it caused any harm. 

“Dad, what the hell? We’re in the middle of a restaurant. You can’t just go attacking people like that!” Ichigo demanded, pushing his father away rather forcefully. 

“I can when it’s my only son’s birthday! Show some appreciation to your father!” Isshin retorted, still all but hanging over Ichigo in the seat. 

"Dad! Seriously, control yourself. Or I'm taking you home without lunch," Karin's exasperated voice carried over to them as she - far more calmly - joined them. A quick glance around the table, dark eyes lingering on the matching rings, had her saying, "We're obviously interrupting something. We'll see them all tonight for dinner, I'm sure. Honestly I don't know why I agree to go anywhere with you - we're just supposed to be picking up lunch." She turned, expression softening as much as hers ever did as she looked towards Yukio, saying, "You alright there, Yukio? This idiot didn't scare you, did he?" 

Yukio had tensed visibly when Isshin had all but attacked Ichigo but he'd been relaxing as she spoke. If any of the Kurosaki siblings could somewhat control their father, Karin could. Yukio smiled shyly at her, shaking his head and softly responding, "He definitely startled me, but I'm alright…"

Karin nodded towards him before turning her attention to Jushiro, saying, "I'm truly sorry about this. He's insane, I swear. I can't take him anywhere."

Jushiro chuckled and shook his head, glancing across the table where Isshin was still clinging to Ichigo before turning back to Karin. “It isn’t a problem, I assure you. I see where Ichigo gets his enthusiasm. Your father wasn’t much  _ less  _ energetic at graduation, though Ichigo did pull us away quite quickly,” he replied, laughing a bit more blatantly as Ichigo attempted to push Isshin away, only resulting in an exaggerated sob from his father.

“Yeah, because this  _ idiot  _ is embarrassing,” Ichigo grumbled, still fighting to extract Isshin’s arms from around him. “Dad, you’re scaring Yukio. You know better than to act like this around him. I told you that before. Did you not get it through your thick skull?” he complained, making absolutely no progress toward freeing himself.

Isshin kept a hold on his son for a moment longer, noticing the pieces of jewelry on his right hand as he tried to push him away. “My own son - insulting me like that in public!” he nearly moaned, as though he was in legitimate pain. 

“You started it - tackling me in the middle of a damn restaurant. Karin’s right, we’re coming over tonight. At least then you can assault me in private,” Ichigo said, not relenting the fight for freedom. “Hey, dad, you left Yuzu at the counter by herself. I think a guy’s talking to her,” he said quickly, looking for any opportunity for a diversion.

Isshin was up in an instant, dashing toward his daughter and calling, “Yuzu! Daddy’s coming!” loudly enough for everyone in the restaurant - and probably the neighboring building - to hear.

“What the hell is wrong with him?” Ichigo muttered, shaking his head before bringing his eyes up to his sister. “We’ll see you tonight, Karin. No way in hell I’m trying to talk to dad here,” he said with a light laugh.

Karin nodded, "Understandable. I'll haul him out of here. I'll see you all later tonight." She nodded to Jushiro and Yukio, smiling slightly at the blonde, before going back to save the poor man in line behind Yuzu, literally dragging Isshin out of the restaurant by his ear. 

Yuzu looked very apologetic to the people behind the counter, paying quickly and grabbing their bag of sandwiches. She walked over to the trio, still blushing lightly but her smile bright, saying, "Sorry, Ichigo. And Yukio!" Honey brown eyes looked him over critically before asking Ichigo, "He  _ is  _ alright, right?" 

Ichigo looked down at Yukio, who seemed slightly rattled, but not nearly as traumatized as something like this would have made him before they met Jushiro. Just for good measure, Ichigo brought a hand up to run it through Yukio’s hair, giving his smaller partner a kind smile. “Yeah, he’s good. You and Karin better rein dad in a bit before tonight. If he actually stresses Yukio out, I’ll leave, seriously,” he said, his tone portraying his insistence as he brought his gaze back up to his sister.

Yuzu nodded, expression just as serious as she said, "I understand. We'll get him in line, Ichigo - you can count on us. I didn't think we'd run into you here." Yuzu smiled kindly at Yukio, saying, "It's always good to see you, Yukio." She turned to Jushiro, nodding her head slightly as she said, "And you as well, sir. I better go help Karin before daddy storms back in here. See you all tonight!" With a cheerful smile and wave she left the restaurant.

Jushiro smiled after her, and then turned to Ichigo. “You realize your father is more observant than he lets on, don’t you?” he asked rather bluntly.

Ichigo scoffed and shook his head. “Maybe he is. He’d never let on that he is, though. He’s never been the one to ask about anything if he’s ever noticed.  _ Karin,  _ on the other hand… She’ll grill us with questions tonight, I’m sure,” he replied, going back to his food.

Jushiro shrugged, saying, “He loves you, Ichigo, and I’m sure he gives you privacy by design. He likely knows more about you than you would give him credit for.”

“I know,” Ichigo sighed. “And I love the idiot, too.”

Yukio turned into Ichigo, wrapping his arms around his waist and hugging him, resting his head against his chest. Emerald eyes peered up at him as he said, "I like your family. Even when your father is being… overzealous…" Yukio giggled softly, smiling, "I'll be fine, even if he isn't all that calm. I know he loves you…"

Ichigo laughed and held Yukio to him. “Overzealous is probably the nicest way to say that,” he said amusedly. He truly hoped his father would tame for the night. He’d been known to actually be  _ calm  _ before, but not often. When Ichigo decided to actually indulge the entire story of the last several months, he could only hope that overwhelming joy didn’t turn to judgment - from any of his family.

* * *

Ichigo had spent the rest of the afternoon fiddling with the ring and bracelet on his right hand, trying - and failing - to assure his partners that he was fine. Of course, they were all kind words and encouragement, but Ichigo had  _ never  _ taken any of his previous partners home to meet his family. He had introduced Jushiro as a friend when his family had come to his graduation, and they had already met Yukio in passing when they had visited on campus. All they knew was that the small man was shy and hid in Ichigo’s shadow, which now wasn’t nearly as true as it had been before. 

Now, it was going to be extremely obvious that they were all  _ together,  _ and that was sure to come as a shock. His father and sisters had no idea how many partners he’d had through his college years, so coming home with two men he claimed were  _ both  _ his partners - he wasn’t sure how any of them would react to that. But time was running quickly without him, and soon they were standing at the door of his family’s home, and he sighed as he rang the doorbell.

The lack of ruckus inside before the door opened was a relief - perhaps his father had tamed for the night - but as soon as the door swung open, Ichigo was tackled to the ground, and he was glad he had taken the precaution of having Jushiro walk Yukio to the door. “Dad, seriously!” he yelled, pushing Isshin off of him and standing, brushing his clothes off in the process. 

“What? It wouldn’t be right for me to calmly greet you at the door,” Isshin protested as he stood in front of Ichigo, a wild, teasing grin on his face.

“Yeah, well, I know Yuzu and Karin told you to calm down tonight, so you better behave or Karin is definitely going to kill you this time,” Ichigo warned. 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m still gonna tease you,” Isshin said with a laugh, putting his arm around his son and pulling him into the house.

Jushiro smiled down at Yukio, guiding him inside behind them. They were led to the dining area, adjacent to the kitchen, where Jushiro pulled a chair out for Yukio and wordlessly gestured for him to sit before sitting in the chair next to him. 

Ichigo took a chair at one end of the table, next to Yukio, and crossed his arms over his chest rather defensively. It was really a habit, something he always did around his father, and he almost constantly followed him with his gaze. When Isshin left the room, though, calling rather obnoxiously for Karin, Ichigo smiled over at Yuzu, who was working in the kitchen. “Food smells good, Yuzu. What’re you making?” he asked, loudly enough for his sister to hear over the sound of food sizzling and utensils hitting pans.

"Chicken marsala, I just deglazed the pan, have to still add the marsala and the stock, probably will be another half hour or so before it's completely reduced down. I also made a salad," Yuzu answered cheerfully. 

“Wow, that sounds good. You’ve really gotten amazing at cooking, haven’t you?” Ichigo asked, though it was more an observation than a question.

“Is there anything we can help with, Yuzu?” Jushiro asked politely. He knew Ichigo would be just as well sitting and allowing his sister to cook for them - and it was likely better that way - but Jushiro at least had to offer.

“Oh, no! You’re a guest! I’ve got it - really. I need the practice anyway, I start culinary school in September. Thank you, though, you’re very kind to ask,” Yuzu responded, giving Jushiro a sweet smile.

Jushiro nodded, and then glanced down at Yukio. He placed his hand between them on the table, palm up as he usually would at home. He honestly had no reservations about anyone in Ichigo’s family knowing they were all together. He had a strong suspicion they all already knew anyway, even without Ichigo ever explicitly saying so.

Yukio smiled shyly, but his expression was clearly happy as he took Jushiro’s hand. He instantly felt more calm, as he always did when physically connected to his two partners. He wasn’t all that worried about how Ichigo’s family would take them being together, he knew they would love and support Ichigo no matter what he did. His father may act a bit over dramatic about it, but even Yukio realized that an act was all that usually was.

Ichigo visibly flinched when his father reentered the room, but was a bit shocked when there was no passing attempt to assault him as he continued to the kitchen. “Okay, what’s wrong with you?” Ichigo demanded, following Isshin with his eyes.

“Would any of you like something to drink?” Isshin asked, looking back at the three at the table.

Ichigo’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you?” he repeated.

Isshin’s neutral expression fell to a pout, and he looked across to where Karin was just catching up to him. “I’ve been threatened by my dear Karin - who I’ve been nothing but kind to in her entire life - that if I don’t have  _ good manners  _ tonight, she won’t let me drop her off at her dorm room in the fall!” he complained, obviously faking an attempt to make himself cry over the issue.

“It’s been my go-to threat for the past couple weeks, really,” Karin said with a smirk. “Works amazingly well. I’ve refused to tell him my dorm assignment, so if he doesn’t come with me, he won’t know where I am.”

Ichigo was laughing as Isshin grumbled something unintelligible from the kitchen, pulling out glasses for each of them. “I think we’ll all have water, dad. Unless you have alcohol,” Ichigo called when he had calmed his laughter.

“Alcohol? In a house with two underaged daughters? What kind of father do you think I am?” Isshin demanded, whipping around to face Ichigo with an incredibly wounded expression.

“Whatever, we’ll have water. Right?” Ichigo asked, looking over at Jushiro and Yukio. 

“Water is fine, yes,” Jushiro replied. “Water for you, Yukio?”

“Ja, that’s fine,” Yukio said softly.

When Isshin came to the table with the glasses, placing one in front of each of them and taking the seat next to Ichigo. Ichigo saw his eyes wander to Jushiro and Yukio’s joined hands. Perhaps he  _ was  _ more observant than he ever realized. “Hey, dad, I might as well go ahead and say it - I’ve got something to tell you,” Ichigo said a bit resignedly.

Isshin smiled brightly. “Not anything I don’t already know, Ichigo,” he said in a teasing lilt. 

Ichigo sighed. “Yeah, whatever. I’m going to just say it anyway. I’m gay, and Jushiro and Yukio are both my partners,” he said all at once, watching his father’s reaction carefully. His initial silence was more than disturbing.

“Ichigo,” Isshin said seriously. “I’ve known you were gay since high school. I mean, you were surrounded by pretty girls and never wanted to even try to date any of them,” he pointed out, his tone still uncharacteristically level.

_ “What?”  _ Ichigo blurted out. “Well, a little insight would have been nice. I had to wait until I got to college and guys started flirting with me,” he grumbled, settling against the back of his chair and slumping his posture a bit. 

“And about these two…” Isshin added, ignoring his son’s outburst. He looked across the table at the other two men. He had met Yukio before, and he honestly wasn’t surprised that Ichigo had developed actual romantic feelings for him. They already seemed quite close. When he and the girls would go visit, Ichigo was  _ always  _ with Yukio. It was Jushiro he even had half a mind to scrutinize. The man was obviously kind, and Ichigo  _ seemed  _ happy. “They’re treating you right, Ichigo?” he asked, his volume lowering even more.

Ichigo had never seen his father more serious. Though, he hadn’t ever dated anyone and actually had them  _ meet  _ his family. Through all the unpredictable near-assaults, the seemingly oblivious silence concerning most of his life, and the contrastingly  _ loud  _ overprotection he had of his daughters, Ichigo never figured his father would really  _ care  _ about any of his relationships. It was rather obvious now that he  _ did,  _ and Ichigo found himself lowering his arms from their habitually guarded position over his chest as he replied, “Yeah, dad. I’ve honestly never been happier.”

Isshin’s smile returned, and he reached over to slap a hand on Ichigo’s shoulder. “Good, then they can stay. Looks like you didn’t need  _ my  _ approval, though,” he said with a laugh, dark eyes finding the jewelry on Ichigo’s right hand again.

Ichigo’s eyes widened, and in that moment he realized that Jushiro was entirely correct. His father really did notice everything - he just never  _ said  _ anything that seemed to be of consequence. “They’re birthday gifts, okay? Not like I’m getting married without telling you,” he shot defensively.

“Well… that really won’t ever be a concern…” Yukio said quietly. He fiddled with the ring a bit on his right ring finger, smiling warmly at it and leaning to rest his head against Jushiro’s arm. It was perfectly reasonable for Ichigo to see the rings Jushiro had got them all as a touching birthday present. But to Yukio, they were likely the closest thing to a symbol like a wedding ring as he’d ever share with his two partners. He knew he’d never take his off. He belonged to them both - and amazingly, they both belonged to him. 

If his partners did want to marry him, he would say yes. He wouldn’t need to think about it at all. He wanted to be with them, no matter what, for the rest of his life. But he would never marry one and not the other, and polyamorous marriages weren’t recognized. But that was fine - this was far more than he’d ever thought he’d have, and the rings Jushiro got them filled a need to have some concrete symbol of their relationship that he could display that he hadn’t even realized he wanted.

Ichigo smiled over at Yukio, holding his hand out for the smaller man to take. “Hey, don’t let that disappoint you, Yukio,” he said. He then leaned over and whispered in Yukio’s ear, as quietly as he could and just hope his father didn’t hear, “I think we all know we’d marry each other if we could.”

Yukio turned his head, kissing Ichigo on his jaw, his smile warm as he whispered, “Ja…”

“Well, since the three of you are so happy together, do either of you have any nice relatives I could set up with my daughters?” Isshin asked teasingly, pointing across the table at Yukio and Jushiro. 

“Dad, no,” Ichigo shot him down immediately. “Yukio is an only child, and Jushiro… wait. I don’t actually know much about your family,” he admitted.

Jushiro chuckled lightly. “I don’t talk about my siblings much - they all live away from here anyway, except for my sister… Well, she  _ did  _ live nearby,” he muttered, his gaze averting for a moment, but his smile returned fairly quickly. “Anyway, I have five brothers and another sister, and they’re all quite scattered around the world. Most of them have their own families. I was the only one to decide to stay in this particular town. Even my sister who passed away didn’t live  _ here.  _ It’s the reason my nephew came to live with me when his parents passed - all of his other relatives were simply too far away, not to mention some were too young to do so and the others likely wouldn’t have taken him anyway. 

“Our family has always been a bit… odd. Some of my siblings who were younger than me chose to move away from home for schooling before they were eighteen. Some lived with other relatives. By the time I was eighteen, I was actually not put off at all by the idea of living with my best friend, because our family has always just… done what made them happy, I suppose. Even if that meant moving away. 

“It was entirely the reason I wasn’t hurt when my former partner came to me about moving abroad himself,” Jushiro concluded with a light laugh. He was really speaking to Isshin more than anyone else, but he knew he had never really indulged much of his past to his partners, either. Not that it was painful for him - it was simply the way he grew up, and he didn’t see anything exceptional about it.

"Are you still close with any of them? Or… were you close to begin with?" Yukio asked softly. 

Jushiro shrugged. “We were never particularly close. Living in such a crowded house - at least when I was very young - was more like living with a bunch of roommates. Once one got the idea to move out, several others seemed quite eager to follow his example. Our parents always supported them, as long as they were safe and well provided for. But, it didn’t make for very strong bonds,” he replied. 

“Well, if I had eight kids I might would be willing to let a few go, too,” Isshin joked.

“Dad, you can stop talking anytime,” Ichigo groaned, shaking his head and then letting it fall into his unoccupied hand. 

Jushiro chuckled a bit at Isshin’s comment. “Really, it was more that they were much too independent to want to stay with the rest of us any longer than necessary. They’ve all done well, as far as I know. Every few years I’ll hear from them. A few of them send holiday cards. We’re not completely disconnected from one another, but it’s quite a distanced relationship. I never did want to leave home before I graduated from high school - I actually enjoyed taking care of my siblings. I’m sure these two can tell you that’s certainly no surprise to them,” he said with a smile.

Ichigo laughed, having lifted his face from within his palm as Jushiro spoke. “Nope, he sure takes care of both of us and doesn’t even act like it’s any work for him,” he confirmed, throwing Yukio a smile.

Yukio giggled, nodding. "Especially me," Yukio said warmly. "I know I never spoke much when I saw any of you before… I'm far less anxious now… Really, Ichigo had been helping me with that since we started hanging out, but it was taxing on him… It doesn't seem to drain Meister the same way… I'm so happy and grateful we found him…"

"Yeah, you really would only say a few things to Yuzu before," Karin commented, leaned against the framed entryway between the kitchen and the dining room in case her sister needed her for anything. "You're definitely more relaxed now. I'm happy for you, Yukio," Karin said, a sideways grin appearing on her face. 

"Danke…" Yukio said softly, blushing a bit and resting his head against Jushiro's arm again. 

Isshin was a bit confused by the way Yukio had addressed Jushiro. The word he had used was foreign, but it was obviously a title of some sort, and he didn’t use such a name for Ichigo, and Ichigo hadn’t used the same title for Jushiro. He knew that anything involving Yukio had to be handled rather delicately, though. He would completely humiliate his own son - even in public - but he knew better than to treat someone as clearly anxious as Yukio with such a lack of tact. 

“Dad, you can ask,” Ichigo interrupted his thoughts, catching the way his father had been looking at Yukio, even if it had been a comparatively discreet stare. 

“Ask what? I wasn’t going to ask anything,” Isshin said hurriedly, leaning his chin in his hand and turning away from the other three. 

Karin placed a large bowl of salad down on the table, saying, "If Ichigo said you can ask, you can ask. I won't count that as a violation of our agreement," Karin said. "But wait till Yuzu and I are at the table - I've been curious about this since their graduation."

Karin efficiently set the table while Yuzu brought in the chicken marsala on a large platter, looking cheerful and a bit pleased with herself. "I've only made this a couple times but Ichigo said he really liked it last time. I think it came out well."

“I’m sure it’ll be the best thing we’ve ever eaten!” Isshin exclaimed, his voice returning to the overly dramatic, and this time extremely proud, tone that had Ichigo groaning and rolling his eyes.

“Why can’t you just compliment the food like a normal person?” he muttered. 

Isshin completely ignored him, as was their custom, before standing and taking Yuzu in a crushing hug. “I don’t know what I’m going to do when you leave - starve, I guess. You’ve spoiled me, Yuzu! I can’t cook anything for myself anymore!” he wailed.

“Being a doctor, I’m sure you can afford takeout,” Ichigo grumbled, serving himself and his two partners - he certainly wasn’t waiting for his father to finish his drama before he got food.

Yuzu was blushing heavily, her voice obviously strained from being squeezed, "Daddy, you say this every night. Really, I'll be coming home each weekend to practice what I've learned in a decent sized kitchen anyway, so you'll still have my cooking then."

"Oi, old man, you're crushing the chef," Karin said, placing a full plate of food in front of his seat. 

Isshin gave Yuzu one last squeeze before plopping her down in the empty chair next to the one he had claimed. When he finally settled, his eyes found Yukio again, though he was still hesitant to question him. Any way he found to phrase such a question sounded  _ rude,  _ but he figured there was no way around it. With everyone seated, and Karin actually looking at him rather expectantly, he asked, “So… Yukio, what is that name you call Jushiro?”

"Meister," Yukio responded, glancing up at Isshin. 

Jushiro chuckled a bit at the only  _ more  _ confused expression Isshin wore at the reply. “Would you mind if I explain for you, love? Tell them a bit more about our relationship?” he asked, bringing jade eyes over to meet emerald.

Yukio shook his head as he said, "No, I wouldn't mind, Meister." After all, he trusted Ichigo's family, and he was proud of Jushiro. 

“Thank you, love,” Jushiro said quietly, leaning over to kiss Yukio’s cheek. He then turned to Isshin, though he knew he would be addressing all three of Ichigo’s family members. After all, Karin had actually noted the title long before now and had tactfully left it alone in a public environment. After a short moment to collect his thoughts - because he was going to leave this as simple as possible - Jushiro explained, “Yukio has chosen to relent much of his daily decision-making to me and Ichigo. 

“As you all know, he used to be highly anxious, nearly to the point of not being able to function at all in unfamiliar situations, and that was mainly due to the amount of effort he actually had to put in to make simple decisions for himself. It wouldn’t seem like much to most, scheduling their day, thinking ahead, choosing how to prioritize their actions, but for Yukio, those things completely overwhelm him. 

“So, Ichigo and I care for him by making decisions for him, planning his day, only asking him what he wants or needs when necessary. Really, after several months living this way, we can generally preempt any of his wants or needs and he hardly has to ask for anything or choose between available options. 

“The need for this depth of care is simply due to his personality. He needs these things, and honestly only very few are willing to relent control of their own life this way. But, just like there are people who need to relent control to reduce anxiety, there are people like me and Ichigo who are able to care for them the way we care for Yukio, and it doesn’t make  _ us  _ anxious at all being trusted this way. We actually enjoy it, and I personally feel deeply honored that Yukio chose me to do this for him.

“As for the actual name he calls me, I never actually  _ asked  _ him to call me that. Because of the way we live, his mind recognized me as his master, and when he is completely comfortable, he tends to revert to his native German tongue for simple words, as you’ve probably noticed already.”

"That did surprise me a bit," Yuzu said, smiling towards Yukio. "Before, you never had any accent when you spoke. I didn't even know you had one."

Yukio blushed slightly, saying, "I usually hide my accent. I wasn't comfortable, sounding different than everyone else. But with either Meister and Ichigo with me, I'm not self conscious about it. It's actually a bit difficult to speak without the accent, I have to consciously make an effort…"

"Well, I'm glad things are easier for you now, Yukio. I like your accent," Yuzu said sincerely, Yukio smiling shyly back in return. 

"Danke," Yukio responded quietly. 

"Jushiro," Karin addressed after Yuzu was clearly done speaking. "You said both you and Ichigo help Yukio make decisions - but he only calls  _ you  _ by a title…"

Jushiro nodded, considering how to word their situation properly. “Ichigo’s role is more… supplemental in nature. He primarily cares for Yukio when they’re not home, because I was completely unwilling to have Yukio abandon his entire life to be with me constantly. Yukio said before that caring for him constantly, as Ichigo did without really realizing it while they were in college together, put more of a strain on Ichigo than me. Ichigo’s personality simply doesn’t allow him to comfortably care for someone like Yukio full time. His mind needs a break from focusing on Yukio’s needs. 

“Mine doesn’t - I feel completely comfortable spending every moment with my mind turned toward Yukio’s well-being when I’m with him. So, I suppose my ability to  _ stay  _ in that mindset of being highly attuned to Yukio made his mind recognize  _ me  _ as his master. We’re all three still equal partners, and when Ichigo needs a break, I care for them both. It’s… actually a rather complicated lifestyle, and I hope I’m making sense. Does it seem like I got everything right, love? I don’t want to wrongly assume anything that’s happening in  _ your  _ mind,” Jushiro said with a small chuckle, bringing his eyes to Yukio.

Yukio paused as he ate, thinking over what Jushiro had said. "It would feel odd to me, calling Ichigo Meister. He isn't, and though he's always helped me, I somehow knew that I shouldn't treat him like that. It doesn't fit our relationship. Ichigo is Ichigo. He's my best friend, he's always protected me - but he's not my Meister."

Ichigo chuckled, reaching over to place his hand on Yukio’s head. “Good, because I really  _ couldn’t  _ do what Jushiro does for you. I’m glad we found him, so we could all be happy and I could keep being your annoying best friend,” he said, ruffling Yukio’s hair briefly and then promptly pulling away before he inevitably had his hand slapped away. 

Yukio huffed, righting his hair as he shot Ichigo an exasperated look. 

Isshin had been - by Ichigo’s definition - suspiciously silent through Jushiro’s explanations, and when Ichigo turned his attention from Yukio to his father, his bright smile faded a bit. He seemed…  _ thoughtful,  _ which wasn’t a normal expression for him. “Dad… you alright?” Ichigo asked a bit nervously. 

Isshin cracked a small smile and nodded. “Yeah, Ichigo. You’re really happy, huh? All of you are,” he observed. He had never seen Yukio so open, never seen Ichigo so relaxed, and it all  _ had  _ to be because of Jushiro. Because Yukio and Ichigo had been friends for years, and while there hadn’t been any notable conflict that Isshin was aware of, there certainly hadn’t been  _ this.  _

“Yeah. We’re all really happy,” Ichigo confirmed confidently. 

“Good,” Isshin said quietly. 

_ That’s all I ever wanted for you, son.  _

* * *

When the three finally arrived home, Toshiro greeted them in the dining room with hot tea, having brewed it as soon as Yukio texted him that they were on their way. Yukio had smiled, sitting next to him and leaning into Toshiro as the other submissive wrapped an arm around his shoulders, holding his cup with both hands and blowing on the hot liquid. 

"Everything went alright?" Toshiro questioned, his teal eyes flickering between Ichigo and Jushiro. 

Ichigo scoffed lightly. “I mean, my dad was his normal over dramatic self, but yeah. Everything went well. They were all just happy for us,” he replied. 

"Well that's good," Toshiro responded. He then asked, "Do you still want to do that scene you suggested before? I readied what we would need downstairs."

"I would…" Yukio said quietly. The day had actually taken a lot out of him, between shopping and spending time with Ichigo's family. He'd had fun and enjoyed himself, but he knew it would help him settle and relax to do the scene Ichigo had suggested - for exactly this purpose. 

Jushiro glanced around the table, observing that all of them were nearly finished with their tea - except Ichigo, who had declined to have any at all - and he sat for another few moments in silence to wait. It had actually done  _ him  _ some good just to get home, where it was quite commonplace for the five of them to  _ quietly  _ be in the same room. He doubted there was much time in the Kurosaki household that was quiet.

When he finished his own tea, he put his cup down on the tea tray in the center of the table with a deep, calm breath. “When everyone is finished, we can make our way downstairs,” he said, his voice not suggesting any rush, just information. It wasn’t long, though, before all four tea cups were placed back on the tray, and Jushiro stood first to take it back to the kitchen. 

Jushiro led the way downstairs, and when they arrived, he dropped into a seat on the sofa at the end of the bed. “I suppose I’m truly only here to observe and easily reach the hook on the ceiling,” he said with a chuckle.

“Hey, I can reach it,” Ichigo protested, going to the aforementioned hook near the center of the room and pushing up onto his toes a bit to hook his finger over it.

“I said  _ easily,  _ Ichigo,” Jushiro teased, laughing as Ichigo shot him a feigned insulted look.

"At least you can reach it at all," Toshiro sighed, making his way over to the bed. Yukio was holding his hand - he had taken it as soon as they stood from the dining room table - and was allowing Toshiro to guide him. Toshiro helped him onto the bed with him and the two laid down upon their stomachs, side by side. Yukio immediately took his hand again and Toshiro smiled, closing his eyes and relaxing. 

Ichigo sat on his knees next to where Toshiro was laying, pouring all of his attention into him as he lightly ran his hand from between his shoulder blades to his waist. It was amazing to Ichigo that Toshiro had even trusted him with this. It wasn’t the first time he had been jointly responsible for Toshiro with Ulquiorra, but this was a true swap. Ulquiorra wasn’t going to have any involvement with Toshiro at all, except perhaps some passing touches later in the scene.

Ulquiorra took the same position as Ichigo, but next to Yukio, and he watched Ichigo for a moment before mirroring his actions, running his hands down Yukio’s back, lightly at first, but increasing the pressure gradually until he was truly massaging. Ulquiorra trusted both Ichigo and Yukio immensely. They had both proven time and time again that they respected and were willing to abide by their strict boundaries. As wary as he was of Ichigo at first, Ichigo was now one of the only other people that he would trust with Toshiro, even when he wasn’t present. 

It had actually taken some convincing for Ulquiorra to accept the prospect of Ichigo playing racquetball with Toshiro daily. When the offer was made, Ichigo and Yukio hadn’t been living at the house for long. Still, Jushiro’s unwavering trust in Ichigo wore off on Ulquiorra, though for a while he still asked Toshiro - rather interrogated him - about how the day had gone. It was remarkable to Ulquiorra that Ichigo had come to treat Toshiro the same way he did Yukio, defending Toshiro from offhand glances and even the occasional verbal remark. Toshiro was frequently teased - or at least rudely stared at - for his physical appearance. Not many men in college were only five feet tall, much less with white hair and striking teal eyes. 

So, Ulquiorra’s opinion of Ichigo had taken quite the turn from cautious, fragile approval to solid trust and respect. Though he never actually  _ said  _ much had changed, he was sure his actions spoke to Ichigo just as well. If nothing had changed, there was certainly no way he would have been even remotely willing to agree to a full partner swap, even when the scene was written with Toshiro and Ulquiorra’s specific limits in mind. 

Yukio fully relaxed upon the bed with a soft sigh, emerald eyes fluttering closed as Ulquiorra massaged him. He was so appreciative that Ichigo had thought to suggest this at the end of this day. The more tension Ulquiorra worked from his back, the more he knew he'd needed this. He rarely felt his anxiety anymore when he was with his partners, but it was obviously still present during more social and novel situations. 

Toshiro’s eyes opened a bit at Yukio’s contented sigh, smiling and watching his partner with the small blonde. Ulquiorra really was amazing with him, just as diligent, gentle, and focused as he ever was with himself. His eyes closed again as Ichigo found a knot in his own back, groaning softly as he expertly worked it out. He could already feel himself slipping into a light subspace from watching his partner, holding Yukio’s hand, and Ichigo massaging him - his strongest trigger. He relaxed even more under his strong hands, trusting Ichigo with his care and to fully respect his boundaries. 

Ichigo kept a slow, thorough pace as he worked every bit of tension out of Toshiro’s back, smiling when he felt him completely relax under his hands. He didn’t even have a thought to glance at Ulquiorra with Yukio, knowing and trusting that Ulquiorra had his complete focus on Yukio. It was actually comforting for Ichigo to have two - sometimes three - other people he could trust with Yukio. 

When Ulquiorra worked his way all the way up Yukio’s back, he treated each shoulder to the same thorough massage, taking extra time on his arms due to the position he knew the two submissives would be in for a while. The room was completely silent, making it entirely possible for him to tunnel his focus to Yukio, watching his own hands firmly knead out every muscle in Yukio’s lean arms. 

Ichigo had done the same to Toshiro’s arms, unknowingly following Ulquiorra’s pace nearly perfectly. He only looked up when he was completely finished, and even then he kept light pressure on Toshiro’s back. Ulquiorra’s bright green eyes were staring back at him, and the silent man gave him a slight nod. “Let go of each other’s hands for just a minute - we’ll carry you two over and get you in position. You’ll still be able to see each other,” Ichigo instructed. 

Both Yukio and Toshiro nodded, though Toshiro allowed Yukio to actually be the one to let go of contact. He smiled at the blonde and Yukio returned the expression, his emerald eyes slightly glassy and obviously far more relaxed. Yukio got to his knees upon the bed, directing his attention completely towards Ulquiorra, and again Toshiro was amazed at how both similar and different their emerald eyes were. 

Toshiro then sat up himself and turned to Ichigo, knowing his own teal eyes were hazy with light subspace as he extended his hand towards him, his smile far warmer and without the playfulness of the smirks he usually gave him. 

Ichigo took Toshiro’s hand, pulling him to him and wrapping an arm around his back before releasing his hand to put the other arm under his knees, easily taking him in a bridal carry. He truly wasn’t much different than Yukio in size, though perhaps more muscular because of his athleticism, but it really didn’t feel foreign for Ichigo to hold him. In fact, it gave Ichigo a sense of accomplishment, knowing that Toshiro had developed such trust in him. For much of the scene, Toshiro wouldn’t even be  _ seeing  _ Ulquiorra, and Ichigo was surprised Toshiro had agreed to such a thing. 

Ulquiorra had pulled Yukio into an identical hold, and he kept pace with Ichigo, the two submissives still within sight of one another and their partners. At least, until they reached the place where they would be sitting on the floor, at which point Ulquiorra settled Yukio on his knees, Ichigo doing the same with Toshiro with his back to Yukio’s. There were already several lengths of ribbon on the floor ready for them, and Ulquiorra took one, putting it over his shoulder to use once both submissives were in the correct position. 

Ichigo took both of Toshiro’s wrists in one hand, not being able to resist running his other hand through thick white hair before standing and holding Toshiro’s wrists above his head, meeting with Ulquiorra, who had done the same to Yukio. It didn’t take much coaxing for the two submissives to turn their hands and clasp them together over their heads, and when they did, Ulquiorra began wrapping all four wrists together - both Yukio’s and Toshiro’s - and overlapping the ribbon several times before handing the end off to Ichigo to tie. 

Jushiro had been watching fondly, highly proud of all four of them for developing this level of trust in one another. Even Ulquiorra, who Jushiro figured would never relent full control of Toshiro, was willingly allowing Ichigo to take responsibility for Toshiro for the entire scene. When Ulquiorra and Ichigo had Toshiro and Yukio’s wrists bound together and held above the submissives’ heads, Jushiro rose from the sofa and approached them, picking up a length of rope from the floor next to the ribbons. 

He said nothing, keeping the peaceful silence intact as he secured a loop to the hook in the ceiling with a quick slipknot, keeping the rope taut as he came down to kneel next to Toshiro and Yukio, firmly wrapping the rope over the ribbon and tying their wrists, the tension keeping their wrists comfortably over their heads without causing any painful stretching in their arms. Before returning to his seat, he lightly patted Ichigo’s shoulder, giving him a warm, proud smile.

Ichigo returned the expression, and he and Ulquiorra ran their hands down Toshiro and Yukio’s arms, the rope keeping their wrists perfectly in place, their arms obviously relaxed and able to simply hang, no effort required of them at all to keep their hands held above their heads.

Yukio’s emerald eyes were half-lidded by this point and focused entirely on Ulquiorra. It wasn’t at all difficult for him to relent control to the quiet dominant, especially with his Ichigo and Meister in the room. He couldn’t see Toshiro anymore, but he could  _ feel _ his hands and arms, bound together with his own, their backs against one another. He couldn’t help but to squeeze his hands a bit around Toshiro’s as the constriction of the ribbon and the restraint of the rope pushed him into a far deeper subspace.

Toshiro returned the squeeze to his hands and smiled as he could feel Yukio going completely lax - not supporting himself at all - behind him. Toshiro, however, hadn’t fallen much further into subspace than the massage had pulled him into. It was simply very difficult for him to fall quickly with Ichigo acting as his dominant. He trusted him completely - he just didn’t see him as someone to relent control to, being his friend and constantly in playful competition with him when they played racquetball. But Ulquiorra’s presence was undeniable, even if he wasn’t focused on him, and Yukio being so near never failed to relax him. And Toshiro knew Ichigo could and  _ would _ take care of him like this. So though it was taking a bit longer, he did feel himself slowly slipping into a deeper subspace, his warm smile still present as hazy teal eyes watched Ichigo.

Ichigo smiled as he knelt in front of Toshiro, kind amber eyes completely focused on increasingly unfocused teal. He had no desire to rush this, and he knew Ulquiorra wouldn’t want him to. He took a piece of ribbon from the floor, reaching up to tie a single loop around Toshiro’s wrist below the ribbon that was already there, slowly and carefully wrapping all the way down his arm to his shoulder, only leaving a small amount of space between each pass of the ribbon, covering nearly all of his skin. When Ichigo tied off at Toshiro’s shoulder, he paused to run his hand over what he had placed, being sure the tension was even over his arm.

Ulquiorra watched Yukio’s eyes, having completely given all mental attention to the blonde instead of his own partner. He knew Ichigo would care for Toshiro as thoroughly and carefully as he would himself, and this scene was truly designed for Yukio, to relieve him of the stress of a busy day - something they all knew drained Yukio more than anyone else in the household. As he wrapped down Yukio’s arms with ribbon, he kept his touch light, but the tension of the ribbon firm, testing every pass as he went.

When Ichigo had both of Toshiro’s arms nearly completely covered with ribbon, he simply sat in front of him, running his hands over his bound arms and keeping his complete attention on Toshiro. He brought one hand to Toshiro’s cheek, his constant smile still in place as he looked over Toshiro’s face. He didn’t even truly realize when quiet words were spilling from his lips, all truthful, and all things he hadn’t really felt confident enough to tell Toshiro before, “You really are gorgeous, Toshiro, and I do love spending time with you. It’s fun, taking jabs at each other, but I truly cherish every minute I see you let your guard down like this. Thank you - for trusting me to do this for you.”

Toshiro blushed faintly at the honest compliment, knowing Ichigo was only speaking truthfully, that he wasn’t saying what he said with any particular goal in mind. In fact, Toshiro doubted he meant to speak at all - he just felt like he needed to. Genuine praise like this, spoken plainly and without any intention behind it, was actually another trigger for Toshiro. It didn’t affect him nearly the same way as Yukio, but it immediately made him far more relaxed, to know that he was doing well - that the person he was relenting control to was pleased with him. 

It was part of what had gone so wrong before, being so easily talked into doing things he wouldn’t have agreed to outside of this state, seeking the other person’s honest approval. It was also one of the reasons he appreciated how silent Ulquiorra usually was, after having this particular trigger used against him so completely. Ichigo didn’t know that - he’d never broken the silence like this during a scene with him before - but Toshiro wasn’t actually worried. 

Because he  _ did _ trust Ichigo not to take advantage of him at all. Ichigo was simply affectionate and very open. He’d praise Yukio constantly if it didn’t affect him so strongly - that was obvious - and he complimented his uncle all the time. It was likely very odd for Ichigo to remain silent like he had been during a scene, and he simply felt comfortable enough with him now that he’d spoken without really thinking, as he would have with Yukio or his uncle.

So rather than panicking - which likely would have happened in the past if anyone other than Ulquiorra had praised him while he was in subspace like this after what had happened to him, and even Ulquiorra did so very rarely - Toshiro took the words at face value. He felt a pleasant warmth, as he always had before whenever the person with control of him voiced their appreciation of him, and he allowed it to relax him further. He went far more lax, slumping against Yukio’s back, teal eyes becoming rapidly more glassy, still focused on warm amber.

Ulquiorra smiled a bit more openly when he felt and saw Toshiro relax even further at Ichigo’s words, and he himself wasn’t at all worried about  _ why  _ Ichigo was saying such things. He wasn’t directing Toshiro to do anything, wasn’t touching him in any questionable manner - just one hand on Toshiro’s arm while the other rested on his cheek - and wasn’t abnormally close to him. Respecting and abiding by their boundaries had become something Ichigo did without needing to think about it, with both Toshiro and Ulquiorra, and it put Ulquiorra’s mind at ease when doing something like this. 

Ulquiorra was quietly running his hands over Yukio’s bound arms, having wrapped both in ribbon and gradually watched Yukio easily fall further into subspace. Yukio was incredibly trusting, and Ulquiorra found himself grateful to Ichigo - as it seemed everyone who got to know Yukio was - for protecting him. He had an extremely fragile personality, always wanting to please and so easily submitting to those he trusted. He didn’t want to think of what could have happened if Ichigo hadn’t taken him under his wing, thinking it eventually would have led to something similar to what had happened to Toshiro. 

Ulquiorra remained silent as he picked up one of the last ribbons, reaching around Yukio to hand one end to Ichigo, who took it and brought it around Toshiro’s chest to give it back to Ulquiorra on the other side. Ulquiorra pulled both ends tight and tied a flat knot on the side, in the small gap between them, binding Toshiro and Yukio’s bodies together. Ulquiorra and Ichigo passed the ribbon back and forth as they bound from the submissives’ chests to their waists, Ichigo ending the pattern by securing the end to the belt loop at Toshiro’s hip. 

They reversed the pattern with the last ribbon, crisscrossing the first ribbon and only more firmly wrapping Toshiro and Yukio’s bodies, holding them with their backs completely flush to one another, this ribbon secured to Yukio’s belt loop as the first was to Toshiro. There was really no ability to move remaining for either of them, their wrists held above their heads and their bodies restrained by one another. Ichigo shuddered a bit at the thought, not being fond of such helplessness himself, but obviously the two who were nearly completely covered in ribbon from the waist up were not at all bothered - quite the opposite, really.

Yukio didn’t know if he’d ever felt this completely  _ relaxed _ before. He never remotely felt any sexual tension when doing a scene with Toshiro and Ulquiorra, and the subspace he fell into took on a slightly different quality because of that. He felt safe, accepted,  _ loved. _ His heart rate and breathing were so calm, his mind so empty. All he could feel was the binding and the warmth from Toshiro’s body bound to his own, the contact only more calming, causing every ounce of tension to flow from him, sagging completely as he surrendered full control, not fighting in the least.

Toshiro was similarly affected, completely and utterly relaxed, his teal eyes impossibly hazy. He was still looking towards Ichigo but he’d ceased actually  _ seeing _ him. He may fall faster with Ulquiorra, but he achieved a level of peace when he was actually bound  _ with _ Yukio like this that he never did being bound alone, even with Ichigo being the one in control of him. With touch as a trigger, and having complete trust in Yukio, it greatly added to merely being bound. Ulquiorra holding him tightly would usually be what sent him deeply into subspace, but he literally  _ couldn’t  _ separate from Yukio like this, and that had pushed him into an extremely deep, relaxed subspace, making him feel as if he were floating, his eyes so heavy they were nearly closed.

While Ulquiorra ran his hands gently over the ribbons on Yukio’s body and arms, obviously still constantly checking the tension and also keeping soothing contact with Yukio, Ichigo did the same to Toshiro. Seeing the completely glazed teal eyes more than half-lidded and clearly unfocused made a sense of accomplishment rush through him. He knew several of Toshiro’s triggers were at work here, but even the fact that Toshiro was  _ allowing  _ his mind to fall this far under Ichigo’s care was enough. 

Ichigo brought a hand up to run his fingers through soft white hair, his smile never leaving as his other hand caressed down Toshiro’s side. “You’re amazing, Toshiro - being able to let go like this, even with  _ me.  _ It really does mean a lot to me, you being willing to be so vulnerable while I take care of you. You’re one of my best friends, Toshiro, and I’ll take care of you this way anytime you’re willing to let me,” he murmured, the words again coming incredibly naturally as he simply voiced his thoughts.

Toshiro’s eyes actually slid shut the rest of the way, giving a soft hum as he leaned into his touch. The actions at this point were automatic, his trust for Ichigo allowing him to completely let go and simply react to him. He felt that gentle warmth flow through him as he registered the honest praise, a mixture of happiness and accomplishment flowing together at the fact that Ichigo sounded so pleased with him, that he was doing well.

It was several minutes before either Ulquiorra or Ichigo even considered releasing Toshiro and Yukio, but eventually Ulquiorra made the first move to do so, untying the ribbon from Yukio’s belt loop and slowly reversing their actions, unwrapping one ribbon from their bodies with Ichigo’s help. He paused between the removal of each piece of silky fabric, being sure that the two submissives were aware of what they were doing, still feeling their presence and not jarred out of subspace too quickly. When both ribbons were completely removed from around their bodies, Ulquiorra gave even more time, firmly running his hands over Yukio’s shirt, both to let the smaller man know he was there and to be sure there was no tension with the lack of restraining sensation.

Both submissives remained exceptionally relaxed, and Ichigo took the same slow approach with Toshiro, not moving on until he saw that Ulquiorra was beginning to work on the ribbons on Yukio’s arms. He kept pace with Ulquiorra as he untied the knot at Toshiro’s right shoulder, gradually unraveling the ribbon and slowly exposing Toshiro’s arm. His hand followed, running over the newly unbound skin, every action seeming so incredibly natural and habitual that he wasn’t even really thinking about what he was doing. This caring, slow process was so ingrained in his mind now, it didn’t take any effort at all to not rush. 

When Ulquiorra had both of Yukio’s arms unbound and reached his wrists, he stood to hold his arms in place, Ichigo doing the same for Toshiro’s, and untied the knot in the rope, keeping their wrists suspended until the ribbon was also removed. Ulquiorra pulled lightly on Yukio’s hands, having him release his hold on Toshiro. He knelt down to Yukio’s level again, gently placing Yukio’s arms around his neck and coaxing him into his arms, holding him firmly against him as he would Toshiro after a scene like this. It was the first time he had ever actually  _ held  _ Yukio this way, but it didn’t feel at all uncomfortable or unnatural. He trusted Yukio immensely, and he knew how incredibly docile he was while in subspace. Even if it didn’t involve Ulquiorra’s limits, Yukio likely wouldn’t initiate any contact or do much of  _ anything  _ without explicit direction to do so.

Yukio had a soft smile upon his face and hummed quietly as Ulquiorra held him. His eyes slid shut and he simply relaxed against him, moving only as he was directed. He was still so incredibly relaxed, his entire body feeling both impossibly light and heavy at the same time - as if all his tension were gone but he couldn’t possibly move of his own volition. Somewhere inside him he understood that  _ Ulquiorra _ was the one holding him, and that realization only made him smile more, touched that the quiet dominant was willing to be this close to him.

Ichigo had pulled Toshiro into a similar position when his wrists were released, holding him in his lap against his chest, his arms securely around him and one hand carding fingers slowly through his hair. His heart was so impossibly full, knowing that Toshiro actually  _ wanted  _ Ichigo to do this for him, at some level, or he would have never agreed to the scene. 

He had really never confided in Toshiro much - they’d really only had casual conversations while they were out of the house together - but it seemed that once the words started, they didn’t want to stop, and he couldn’t keep from saying in a whisper, “I love you, Toshiro - as a brother, a friend,  _ family.”  _ They were the only words that could truly summarize everything that was running through his mind. How he loved Toshiro’s competitive streak, loved being able to joke and tease with him, loved that he let him protect him from the insensitive comments as he always had for Yukio, understanding it was just in Ichigo’s nature to do so. They never wanted each other to ever be anything but themselves, and that simple fact had brought them closer than Ichigo could have ever predicted they would be.

Toshiro smiled, cuddling into Ichigo’s hold. He was surfacing more quickly than he would have with Ulquiorra but he didn’t mind in the least, still so completely relaxed and at peace. He brought his hand up to squeeze one of Ichigo’s arms around him, saying softly, “Me too. I never thought I’d get two brothers from uncle entering into another relationship, but I’m happy it was the two of you…”

Ichigo smiled, not needing to shift Toshiro much to stand with him still in his arms, Ulquiorra following with Yukio. When they reached the bed, Ichigo lowered Toshiro to the plush blanket and didn’t even need to instruct him to lay on his stomach to allow him to massage him again. 

Ulquiorra laid Yukio next to Toshiro, wordlessly putting pressure on his side to roll him onto his stomach, as close to Toshiro as he was the first time, before beginning to run his hands over Yukio’s back, massaging out any tension - not that he expected any to remain - and ensure proper circulation to the areas that were bound.

Yukio was so completely pliant, only moving as directed, and Toshiro couldn’t help but smile at the small blonde. He reached for his hand, taking it into his own, relaxing completely against the bed as Ichigo’s hands worked over his back. Yukio turned his head to face him, completely glassy emerald eyes opening to look at him but Toshiro knew he was still very deep in subspace, and would likely surface incredibly slowly. This late at night, Toshiro didn’t doubt that he’d still be in a moderate subspace when he fell asleep - if Ulquiorra didn’t actually put him to sleep before then. It was obviously difficult for him to actually keep his eyes open, a very soft hum leaving him with every exhalation.

Ichigo was finished with Toshiro before Ulquiorra showed any signs of stopping with Yukio, which he knew wouldn’t affect Toshiro all that much - he was obviously already surfacing quite a bit and paying attention to Yukio. Still, Ichigo kept his hand on Toshiro’s back, shifting to sit against the headboard next to where he was laying. The hand on Toshiro’s back trailed up to his hair, threading into the thick strands and beginning a slow massaging motion on his scalp. He knew Toshiro didn’t  _ need  _ the contact at this point, but he was sure he certainly appreciated it. 

Ulquiorra took what was an unnecessarily long time massaging Yukio’s back, shoulders, and arms, even moving up to work any knots out of his neck. He wasn’t even sure that Yukio was still awake. After such a stressful day and a contrastingly relaxing evening, he wouldn’t have been surprised if he had fallen asleep. He slowed his actions to a stop, leaving his hands on Yukio’s shoulders as he leaned over him a bit to judge his condition.

Toshiro smiled at his partner, saying very softly, “You put him to sleep, Ulqui. A few minutes ago, his eyes closed completely and his grip went lax in my hand.”

Ulquiorra’s smile softened as he looked over Yukio’s sleeping expression, a small smile even still on his lips. He looked up at Ichigo, catching his gaze as Ichigo averted his eyes from Yukio. 

Ichigo didn’t even need to be spoken to, knowing what Ulquiorra was asking with his eyes. “I’ll carry him to bed,” he whispered. He patted Toshiro’s back lightly, saying, “Thanks for this, Toshiro. It really did mean a lot to me to take care of you, even just for a little while.”

Toshiro nodded, sitting up and moving aside for Ichigo to reach Yukio more easily. After moving he found himself by Ulquiorra’s side and he smiled as his partner wrapped an arm around his lower back, leaning into him as he watched Ichigo very gently pulling Yukio into his arms.

As Ichigo eased off the bed with Yukio limp in his arms, Jushiro stood to join him, bending to place a light, gentle kiss on Yukio’s forehead. He then went to the side of the bed closest to Toshiro and Ulquiorra, resting his hand on Toshiro’s shoulder, Ulquiorra moving his hand down Toshiro’s arm to accommodate. “Good night, you two,” he said softly, reaching around to kiss Toshiro’s cheek.

Toshiro smiled, responding softly, “Good night, uncle, Ichigo,” he added, nodding towards him. “Thank you,” he said softly, still feeling incredibly relaxed himself, knowing he was likely to fall asleep as soon as he and Ulquiorra got to their own bed.

“‘Night. Anytime, Toshiro,” Ichigo replied, keeping his voice low to keep from waking Yukio. When Jushiro rejoined him, he carefully carried Yukio up the stairs - having to scale the steps a bit sideways to keep from hitting Yukio’s head or feet on the wall. Once they reached the bedroom, Ichigo side-stepping through the door, he laid Yukio gently on the bed, but eyed him a bit critically. “You think we could change his clothes without waking him up?” he asked Jushiro.

Jushiro chuckled lightly. “We could try. He wouldn’t sleep well in his usual clothes anyway - he’d probably wake in the middle of the night because he was uncomfortable,” he replied. He looked over Yukio for a moment, trying to devise a way to do this. “We’ll go ahead and change, and then you can hold him while I gently remove the clothes he has on, and you can help me put on his sleep clothes,” he suggested. 

Ichigo nodded, and they both quickly changed their own clothes before he slid onto the bed with Yukio, holding him against his chest as Jushiro replaced his pants with soft sleep pants and Ichigo did the same with his shirt. It was obvious by the fact that Yukio barely stirred as they did so that the day had certainly drained him.

Before Ichigo could settle them under the blankets, Jushiro was sitting in front of him, comb in hand, and he gently combed Yukio’s hair back, very carefully braiding it away from his face and securing it behind his ear. The process was slow, Jushiro being incredibly careful to keep from waking his partner, but eventually his hair was neatly braided and he was fully prepared to sleep for the night.

Ichigo shifted to settle Yukio under the covers before catching Jushiro’s shoulder and pulling him to sit next to where Yukio was laying. “Let me braid your hair tonight,” he offered, moving to sit behind him before he even received a reply.

Jushiro chuckled and nodded. “Of course, Ichigo,” he responded quietly.

Ichigo took the comb from Jushiro and began slowly and carefully combing out any snags. Even when his hair was free of tangles, Ichigo continued running the comb through it, completely understanding why this was so relaxing for Yukio. He ran his fingers through the silky white strands several times even after he placed the comb back on the bedside table. Finally, he split the soft hair into three sections, slowly weaving it into a simple plait that was much easier than how Yukio required his hair to be braided. When he had secured the end, he ran his hand over the finished braid. “There you go,” he whispered.

Jushiro looked over his shoulder at Ichigo, giving him a kind smile. “Thank you, Ichigo,” he said, the gentleness and genuine gratitude in his voice bringing Ichigo to smile as well. 

Ichigo leaned up to kiss Jushiro’s cheek, whispering, “Let’s go to sleep now.” He shifted to lay under the blankets with Yukio while Jushiro moved over to Yukio’s other side, and he gave a calm, content breath when he was settled.

Jushiro watched Yukio’s relaxed, sleeping expression for a moment before looking up to Ichigo with a soft smile. “You did very well with Toshiro this evening, Ichigo,” he said quietly.

Ichigo smiled and gave a small sigh. “It was good for both of us, I think. It was definitely good for me. All those things I said - there’s just never a good time to say them. I mean, Toshiro’s smart. He can  _ see  _ through how I treat him that all those things are true. But it’s different saying it, and that’s just not stuff you say in the middle of the campus gym,” he replied with a light laugh.

“You’re right, and I’m sure Toshiro appreciated hearing it. Knowing what you do for Toshiro when the two of you are out every day makes me doubly grateful for you. I know Ulquiorra is grateful as well, he’ll just likely  _ never  _ say so,” Jushiro said, chuckling a bit. “You’ve brought a lot to this family, whether you realize it or not,” he added.

Ichigo shrugged slightly, saying, “It’s just who I am, and I’ll never  _ not  _ want to protect the people I care about.”

Jushiro reached across Yukio to kiss Ichigo’s lips softly. “And that’s only one reason we love you, Ichigo,” he said when he pulled away. 

Ichigo hummed quietly and settled in to tuck Yukio into the curve of his body as he did most nights, Jushiro laying on his side to face Yukio. Ichigo kissed the back of Yukio’s head, whispering into his hair, “Good night, my Yukio,” before looking up slightly to find jade eyes and say, “Good night, Jushiro.”

“Good night, Ichigo,” Jushiro replied. He leaned in to kiss Yukio’s forehead, murmuring, “Good night, love.” He watched as Ichigo settled even more comfortably into his pillow, his arm tightening around Yukio for a moment before falling lax again, amber eyes closing but a small smile still on his lips.

Jushiro didn’t think there was a way any of them  _ could  _ fall asleep without a smile. No matter what conflicts, stressors, and  _ life  _ was thrown at them, they always ended the day  _ together.  _

A small movement of Jushiro’s hand had him fiddling with the ring on his right hand, and he pulled his hand out from under the blankets to study the plain silver band. It was more than just a gift. More than just jewelry. It was a physical representation to the rest of the world that they were claimed by one another. 

Together.

Always.

And that was the best place in the world for any of them to be.


	5. Kappa

It had been over a month since Ichigo’s birthday, and it was the Saturday before Yukio was set to begin his graduate program. They had decided the weekend would be spent together, and Ichigo’s idea of  _ together  _ put them in the playroom, a scene having been planned between them - or really, between Ichigo and Yukio, and Jushiro had simply approved what they wanted. 

As soon as they had arrived downstairs, Ichigo had plopped down on the bed, Yukio following willingly with a giggle at the teasing smile already on Ichigo’s face. Jushiro shook his head and went to join them, laying next to Yukio and running a hand through his hair. Before he could do much more, though, a hand on his chin pulled his face up, and suddenly Ichigo’s lips were pressed to his, and he felt the hand on his chin trail around to bury in his hair.

Jushiro didn’t fight Ichigo, letting him control the kiss at least equally as he parted his lips and allowed Ichigo access to his mouth. He was surprised when Ichigo didn’t fight for more, only meeting his tongue and responding to its actions. There was a bit of heat in Ichigo’s movements, but in terms of dominance, they were actually on equal footing, just as they should be for the first part of the scene. Jushiro even allowed Ichigo a bit of an advantage, letting the younger man settle into his dominant mindset instead of at all feeling as though Jushiro was forcing him to submit.

Yukio had sat up when Ichigo started making out with Jushiro, bringing his hand to his mouth to bite against his index finger rather than his bottom lip. He didn't put much pressure but it helped relieve the immediate heat that flooded him every time he watched his partners together. Half the time Ichigo would give him his own hand, as he actually liked the feeling of his teeth against his skin - but his hands were rather occupied. Yukio released a whimpered moan as more pleasure surged through him, Jushiro allowing Ichigo far more control than usual and it only looked hotter to Yukio. 

Ichigo heard the sound Yukio uttered, and he broke away from Jushiro’s lips for a moment, taking Yukio’s hand to pull it away from his mouth. “Take my clothes off, Yukio. I’m the only one that really needs to be undressed for the first part of the scene,” he instructed, his voice already rather husky with desire. It wasn’t difficult for Ichigo to switch, the change not at all drastic or jarring for him. It was really just a small shift in his focus, whether he was obeying Jushiro or directing Yukio, and not at all difficult for him to achieve. 

"Ja, mein Ichigo," Yukio responded, immediately working on pushing his light t-shirt up his back as Ichigo was still hovering over Jushiro. He moved with him, allowing Yukio to remove it completely. He tossed it off the side of the bed before moving behind Ichigo, leaning his smaller body against his broad, far more muscular one, moaning lightly and kissing his spine as his hands slid around, working the clasps on his pants. 

It really only took a few seconds and he was carefully pulling off the rest of Ichigo's clothing, undressing him as instructed, Ichigo moving for him as needed. Once his task was complete, he sat on his knees beside his two gorgeous partners. Yukio was already flushed from watching them, his hand returning to his mouth to bite down gently, Ichigo's sexy body on full display over Jushiro. 

Once Ichigo was fully bare, darkened amber eyes found wide, lustful emerald, flicking down for a moment to find Yukio’s knuckle between his teeth. He pulled Yukio to him, not even truly realizing that Jushiro moved away to accommodate, and gently coaxed Yukio’s hand down from his mouth again. “As damn sexy as it is when you do that, I’d much rather you have something else in your mouth,” he growled, immediately closing the distance between them and not wasting any time before demanding access to Yukio’s mouth with his tongue. 

Yukio released a needy whine at the slightly rough treatment, relenting immediately and surrendering fully. His hands came up to clutch at Ichigo's shoulders, soft whines and moans continuously issuing from the back of his throat as Ichigo  _ owned  _ his mouth. His heart rate picked up along with his breathing as he melted against him. He loved feeling so thoroughly claimed like this - when either of his partners were a bit rough with him. 

Ichigo felt Yukio becoming quite lax in his arms, and somehow that immediate surrender calmed him a bit, his actions steadying and becoming gentler, but still entirely claiming. When he pulled away, he took in Yukio’s already needy expression, small sounds already spilling from his lips seemingly without his control. A glance at Jushiro told him the older man had already gathered what they would need for the first part of the scene, and Ichigo shifted to take Yukio in his arms, carrying him to the end of the bed and kneeling before releasing Yukio and positioning him on his own knees before him. “My Yukio, I love you so much,” he said softly, leaning in to kiss Yukio’s cheek. “I’d like Jushiro to bind you, and I’d like to remain here in front of you while he does, so I can watch your every expression until he blindfolds you. Is that alright?” he asked, bringing a hand up to Yukio’s cheek. 

"Ja, mein Ichigo," Yukio responded, leaning into his hand. His dark emerald eyes filled with desire were gazing up at him, his breathing heavily labored, face flush. 

Jushiro had been listening, and knelt behind Yukio, removing Yukio’s shirt - Ichigo moving his hand briefly to accommodate and Yukio giving no resistance to the action - before beginning to massage his arms in preparation for being bound, especially the way they had planned. He knew Yukio was flexible enough to manage and hold the position, as Jushiro hadn’t agreed to anything until he proved he could, but he was going to be extremely cautious and massage his arms and shoulders even more thoroughly than usual. 

Ichigo kept his hand on Yukio’s cheek, sitting on his knees in front of him, intently watching his bright emerald eyes. He loved absolutely everything Yukio did, and watching him fall into a pleasure-ridden subspace was among the most amazing things Ichigo had ever witnessed. “You’re so sexy, my Yukio. I can’t help but want to look at you - always so good for us. We’re so damn lucky,” he murmured, his voice quiet but not absent of heated desire. 

Yukio whimpered at the words, his whole body beginning to tremble slightly. He nuzzled into Ichigo's hand, emerald eyes hazing over as the praise triggered his subspace at the same time as heat surged through him. "Ichigo…" Yukio whined softly, "Mein Ichigo… Want you…"

Ichigo groaned quietly at Yukio’s state obviously changing - or at least obvious to him after watching this so many times before. All it took was honest praise, and that was ridiculously sexy and made him want to keep going. “And I want  _ you,  _ my Yukio. You’re gonna make me feel so good - you always do. I love feeling your mouth on me,” the words were both truthful and entirely seductive, even making Ichigo swallow a moan at the prospect of having Yukio’s amazing mouth around him.

Yukio whined again, nodding. He turned his head slightly, his mouth capturing Ichigo's thumb from his hand still cradling his cheek. He bit down gently and released a heated moan, his tongue teasing the digit as he would Ichigo's cock, knowing how much that turned Ichigo on. The emerald of his eyes darkened further in want and desire, his pupils dilating, quiet moans and whines falling from his lips. 

Ichigo’s breath hitched when Yukio took his thumb in his mouth, but he certainly didn’t stop him, and he couldn’t tear his eyes away from dark, dilated emerald eyes, and heavily flushed cheeks, the picture of adorable and unbearably sexy at the same time. He glanced very briefly at Jushiro, who had only just finished massaging one of Yukio’s arms, and he nearly demanded that the man hurry up. Two things stopped him, though - one, he knew Jushiro needed to be thorough, for Yukio’s comfort and safety, and two, Jushiro would likely just slow down  _ more  _ if Ichigo tried to make any demands of him. 

Ichigo honestly had no idea what to do, other than surrender to Jushiro’s pace and Yukio’s actions. If he tried to move further, he knew he would only want to take Yukio some other way - faster - but he truly  _ did  _ want to go through with what was planned. “Fuck, Yukio. You’re just too fucking sexy,” he groaned, Yukio’s tongue teasing his thumb driving him nearly insane. “Play with all my fingers, my Yukio. Take your time until Jushiro is finished with you,” he instructed, truly needing the distraction.

Yukio moaned, bringing both of his hands to hold Ichigo's hand by the wrist and positioning his hand to more easily comply. He released his thumb, giving Ichigo's index finger the same treatment, although he slowly traced the digit with his tongue before fully taking it into his mouth. He bit down gently, sucking, licking, all the while still looking up at Ichigo with glassy, dark emerald eyes. He worked thoroughly and slowly, progressing to the next finger, then the next, until Yukio had worked over even the smallest finger, his eyes never once leaving Ichigo's. 

Ichigo’s hand was trembling in Yukio’s hold, and he was watching Jushiro’s progress more and more often, but every time he brought his eyes back to Yukio, he had to fight back a desperate whine at just how incredibly erotic it was to watch Yukio give his fingers such thorough attention, obviously aiming to please. 

Jushiro had finished massaging Yukio, and his practiced hands made quicker than usual work of binding him. He brought Yukio’s hands back from where they were holding Ichigo’s wrist, saying softly, “Ichigo will hold his hand there for you, love. I’m going to bind you now.” He held both of Yukio’s wrists - palms facing each other - in one hand, wrapping the middle of the strand of ribbon once around his wrists and holding the tension as he crisscrossed the two ends up Yukio’s forearms. He stopped and tightened the woven pattern when he reached just below Yukio’s elbows, binding his forearms together behind his back and holding them there with a quick, secure knot. This wasn’t a position many could achieve and actually maintain without their shoulders quickly cramping, but Yukio was flexible enough, and it didn’t even seem to be straining him at all to have his arms held back this way.

After running his hands over the binding several times to check the tension, Jushiro picked up a soft black length of fabric, murmuring softly in Yukio’s ear as he blindfolded him, “You’re doing so well, love. Keeping relaxed for me and bringing Ichigo so much pleasure.” Once he tightened the knot on the blindfold, being sure that Yukio’s hair was out of the way both in the front and back, he shifted to fully sit on the floor next to Yukio, facing him. He brought one hand to the back of his neck, saying in a clearly commanding tone, “Alright, love, Ichigo is going to take his hand back now, and then he’ll do as we discussed. Are you ready?”

"Ja, Meister - Bitte -" Yukio whimpered out. Heat continuously flowed through his body, the restraint from the binding and the inability to see pulling far deeper into subspace. He desperately wanted Ichigo to use his mouth, loved feeling filled and without any control. "- mein Ichigo -  _ please  _ -" 

Ichigo stood from where he was kneeling on the floor, one hand threading through Yukio’s hair, the other coming down to Yukio’s chin, his thumb caressing his jaw. “You look so gorgeous like this, my Yukio. Open your mouth for me - keep it open,” he instructed. He was truly only barely holding onto his own control, but he took a deep, shuddering breath to keep at least relatively calm, not wanting to hurt Yukio at all while doing this.

Yukio obediently opened his mouth, directing his covered emerald eyes upwards to the sound of Ichigo's voice, forcing him to tilt his face upwards slightly. Bound as he was, he literally couldn't move, even to brace himself. But he trusted his Meister to steady him and trusted Ichigo not to hurt him. He released a needy whine, feeling the tip of Ichigo’s length upon his lips, though he didn't move, obediently waiting to be instructed - if he even would be. The thought of merely keeping his mouth open while Ichigo took him however he wanted sent a heated thrill down his spine. Waiting was a heated torture - he  _ really  _ wanted Ichigo to fill his mouth, to take complete control of the motion, to feel both that contradictory mix of being entirely loved and used for his partner's pleasure. 

Jushiro brought his legs up around Yukio, easily steadying him with one behind him and one against his front, his feet flat on the floor and his knees touching just below Yukio’s chest and against his bound forearms. His hand remained on the back of Yukio’s neck, but otherwise remained still. “Stay completely still, love. Bring your chin back down so you’re level again. He’s going to take his time, but don’t anticipate his movements. Let Ichigo control  _ everything,”  _ he reminded him gently, his voice close to Yukio’s ear with how he was sitting with his legs around him. He knew they had done this before, but it wasn’t often, and it greatly excited Yukio when they did. The anticipation of being so out of control and used made Yukio’s actions even more automatic than usual, and being deprived of his sight and the use of his hands was likely pulling him even further from his own control, so Jushiro knew it was likely prudent to make it an order that he be still and allow Ichigo to move him when needed. 

“Ja, Meister,” Yukio gasped out, licking his lips, need humming through his body. He was so incredibly turned on and being shoved so fast towards deep subspace, his entire body felt tingly - and Ichigo hadn’t even properly started yet. He leveled his chin, trying to focus on keeping as much control over his breathing as possible as he completely surrendered to his two partners, allowing Jushiro to support him, his mouth open and waiting, perfectly still.

Ichigo looked down at Yukio, bringing a hand to his fine blonde hair and trailing his touch back to the back of his head, holding him steady as he used his other hand to position his cock at Yukio’s mouth, giving a shuddering breath when it touched his lips. “You can use your tongue, Yukio. In fact, please use your tongue. You know I love it when you do,” he said, his voice more of a groan than anything else.

Yukio immediately complied, his tongue darting out to lick and tease at the head of Ichigo’s cock. He released another whine, wanting it  _ inside _ his mouth. He used his tongue to lap firmly at the underside, knowing Ichigo loved every time he stimulated him there, hoping to encourage him to stop teasing him so much by teasing Ichigo in return.

Ichigo’s knees nearly buckled at the intense pleasure that rushed through him when Yukio’s tongue so expertly hit the exact spot his partner knew he loved. “Fuck - Yukio,” he groaned out, forcing himself to keep control as he slowly pressed into Yukio’s mouth. Every breath was a shuddering moan, and when he was halfway covered by wet heat, he brought his other hand to brace Yukio’s head in place as he continued to move forward, light thrusts accompanying the progress to be sure Yukio’s throat wasn’t going to tighten when he reached it. Of course, he knew it wouldn’t - Yukio was always incredibly relaxed and perfectly accepting of this.

Yukio continued to move his tongue against him, careful not to hinder his movement at all, groaning deeply at  _ finally _ having his mouth slowly filled. He relaxed entirely, allowing Ichigo complete control. He had slipped into such a deep subspace that his own actions became entirely automatic, sounds issuing from him without thought, sightless and immobile, forced to only accept and  _ feel _ as he firmly bathed Ichigo’s cock with his tongue and swallowed around him.

Ichigo paused briefly when he was fully sunk into Yukio’s mouth, giving a desperate whimper every time his throat constricted around him when Yukio needed to swallow. His hands within Yukio’s hair trembled slightly, but he still held him steady as he withdrew slightly only to gently thrust back in, the combined sensation of moving in that slick heat and Yukio’s tongue meeting his movements driving his pleasure higher. “You feel so fucking good, my Yukio - so good for me - you always make me feel so good,” the words spilled out in response to the heat that flooded his body as he moved. 

He was already incredibly turned on before they had even begun, and with Yukio’s tongue unrelenting on his cock, Ichigo knew he wouldn’t last long this way. He increased his pace only a bit, still not even remotely forceful each time he touched and surpassed the back of Yukio’s throat. His breathing was already heavy, his heart rate seeming much too fast as his climax approached. He looked down at Yukio, which only drew a low groan from him when his lustful amber eyes traced over Yukio’s position, on his knees bound and blindfolded and so incredibly willing to submit to him. “So gorgeous, Yukio - always so good for us - you’re gonna make me come, my Yukio,” he barely got the words out through the tightness in his own throat, then tension in his body mounting higher.

Somewhere in Yukio’s mind the words registered, causing a loud, needy whine to issue from him. He began sucking and swallowing more than before, his tongue firmly stroking, his blank mind taking Ichigo’s words as a command.

Ichigo cried out as Yukio increased his efforts in preparation for his release, and every breath after that was a whine, every gentle thrust bringing him closer until he finally buried himself fully in Yukio’s mouth. “Going to come - next time you swallow - don’t stop - I’ll be coming down your throat,” was the last warning Yukio received, and Ichigo groaned heavily when Yukio swallowed around him again, triggering his climax. He tightened his fingers in Yukio’s hair, not pulling but grounding himself as well as he could as Yukio continued to swallow as he filled his throat with his release. The gentle constriction drew out the aftershocks that tightened Ichigo’s core and caused his legs to shake. 

When his body finally began to calm, Ichigo pulled back only slightly to remove the pressure from Yukio’s throat, not pulling out completely, allowing Yukio to hold him. “Relax now, my Yukio. Fuck, you did so well. So perfect,” he panted, bringing one hand down from Yukio’s hair to gently stroke his cheek and jaw.

Yukio hummed in contentment, loving feeling so full, used, and  _ loved _ by Ichigo -  _ his _ Ichigo. He remained entirely still, his tongue no longer stimulating, simply feeling him in his mouth, his hand in his hair, and his Meister supporting him.

Jushiro brought his arms around Yukio, resting his chin on his shoulder, his nose nuzzled into fine blonde hair. “You are truly amazing, love,” he murmured, kissing his hair and remaining wrapped around him, now fully surrounding him with both his arms and legs, holding him against him but not coaxing him to move at all. He knew Yukio would need some time, as deep of a subspace as he seemed to be in, and he likely wouldn’t want to let Ichigo go until he had surfaced a bit.

Not many could easily endure what Yukio just had. In fact, it was a fairly common limit. But Yukio  _ enjoyed  _ feeling so entirely used, filled, and out of control of his own body, and he fully and completely trusted Ichigo and Jushiro to not hurt him when given that amount of control over him. And the fact that it only drove him  _ further  _ into subspace, not causing a trace of alarm or panic, made Jushiro only feel more admiration and protectiveness toward Yukio. Not many could  _ trust  _ the way Yukio did.

After several moments, Jushiro brought a hand up to the edge of the fabric that was blocking Yukio’s sight, saying, “I’m going to remove the blindfold now, love. You’ll need to close your eyes and open them slowly to adjust to the light.”

Yukio hummed a bit in acknowledgement and he would have grinned as he felt Ichigo’s cock jump a bit in his mouth from the vibration. Thoughts were filtering back in but that blissful light, tingling feeling remained, making him entirely pliant and relaxed.

Jushiro slowly pulled the blindfold from in front of Yukio’s eyes, careful not to pull his hair as he did so. He smiled when he saw that Yukio had been aware enough to follow his direction - he always was, even this deep in subspace. When fully glassy emerald eyes began to open, Jushiro kissed Yukio’s cheek. He waited until Yukio seemed a bit more aware, his eyes fully open at least, to say, “Release Ichigo, love, and we’ll all go to the bed.”

Yukio did as he was commanded, as obedient as always following Jushiro’s instructions. Though he did release a soft whine at having to do so, his tongue trailing along the underside one last time as he released Ichigo completely from his mouth. 

As soon as he was released from Yukio’s mouth, Ichigo all but fell to his knees, his legs having been trembling slightly as he waited. He didn’t even care that Jushiro’s leg was between himself and Yukio, and he leaned in to loosely wrap his arms around Yukio’s neck, kissing his cheek before taking a deep, calming breath. “Love you so much, my Yukio,” he said quietly, nuzzling his cheek against Yukio’s.

“Love you… mein Ichigo…” Yukio responded softly, leaning into his touch and smiling warmly. Both of his partners made him feel so impossibly loved and he felt warm and adored with both of them wrapped around him this way.

When Ichigo pulled away, Jushiro shifted to support Yukio with his arms instead of his legs, easily coaxing him into a bridal carry in the position they were already in. He lifted Yukio, arms still bound behind him, and took him to the bed. “Ichigo, prop some pillows up to keep pressure off of Yukio’s arms when I put him on the bed,” Jushiro instructed.

Ichigo did as he was told, propping several pillows against the headboard and leaving no room for Yukio to have to support himself as he lay on his back against his bound arms. As Jushiro placed Yukio down on the bed, Ichigo laid down next to him, immediately putting an arm around Yukio’s waist and holding him against him. “Are you comfortable, Yukio?” he asked softly, trailing kisses down his jaw after he spoke.

Yukio sighed happily, giggling softly at Ichigo’s fleeting kisses before responding, “Ja, mein Ichigo.”

Ichigo shifted a bit to straddle Yukio’s hips, still kissing his face as he moved. He absolutely loved hearing Yukio laugh, and he nearly always earned a giggle when he would litter his face with light, playful kisses, his lips touching everything except for Yukio’s own lips. “You know - cute still - applies to you - my Yukio,” Ichigo teased between kisses.

Yukio’s laughter grew, giggling continuously, half leaning into Ichigo’s kisses and half squirming a bit, wanting to actually kiss his lips with his own. “Ichigo…” he whined, emerald eyes bright with joy as he pleaded. He was still so impossibly aroused and all this was doing was teasing him further - something he was sure Ichigo realized. Yukio actually  _ enjoyed _ being edged, but that didn’t stop him from pleading with him.

Ichigo chuckled, pulling away to take in Yukio’s bright smile and the genuine happiness in his eyes. He could never get enough of seeing Yukio so incredibly  _ happy.  _ Slowly, he lowered his face back down to approach Yukio’s lips, stopping to hover just over them, his breath striking Yukio’s skin as he asked in a low, seductive voice, “I bet you want me to really kiss you, don’t you?”

Yukio whimpered, breathing out, “Ja - bitte - mein Ichigo…”

Ichigo smiled before closing the small distance that remained between them, humming into the contact before parting his lips, groaning into Yukio’s mouth when it was opened for him with no prompting. He rather lazily explored his partner’s mouth, one hand moving along the bare skin of Yukio’s side, following the waist of his pants when he reached them, his fingers teasing along lithely toned abs. He easily unbuttoned and unzipped Yukio’s pants with one hand, not hesitating to run his touch down the hard length within Yukio’s boxers.

Yukio’s hips bucked up into Ichigo’s touch, a rather desperate moan falling from his lips, lost in Ichigo’s mouth. He knew Ichigo meant to edge him but he really didn’t know how much more of this he could take without the help of a ring - he was beyond aroused and if Ichigo directly stimulated him too much, he knew he’d come. He didn’t really have any control left at this point, not after Ichigo had used his mouth while being so completely restrained. He whined loudly, trying to communicate that to Ichigo as his partner lazily but thoroughly claimed his mouth. He couldn’t stand the thought of failing Ichigo in any way and his kiss along with his touch simply felt too good, especially after what they’d just done having already brought him to the edge.

Ichigo pulled away from Yukio’s mouth and removed his hand from Yukio’s cock, understanding just how desperate the sounds he was making were. He rather immediately removed both Yukio’s pants and boxers, gazing hungrily down at his completely nude body, just seeing him under him this way sending heat flooding his body. He reached over to the bedside table, giving Jushiro a quick kiss on his lips, eliciting a small chuckle from the other man as he all but draped himself over him to retrieve a cock ring, the lube, and Yukio’s prep toy. 

Ichigo nudged Yukio’s legs apart and settled between them, putting the lube and prep toy aside and first sliding the ring onto Yukio’s leaking cock. He ran his hands down the insides of smooth thighs, smiling down at bright emerald eyes. “Better now? I didn’t get carried away, did I?” he asked a bit apologetically.

Yukio nodded, responding, "Better… And no… not too carried away… I like it… Just… better… easier… with the ring…" The relief in his slow response was clear. He really did  _ like  _ being edged but couldn't very easily control himself, especially after already surrendering his body entirely over to his two gorgeous partners. The ring made it so he didn’t have to, actually taking away even more of his control, relaxing him further even with how impossibly aroused he remained. 

Ichigo leaned down to kiss Yukio’s knee. “Good,” he said, only barely drawing away from Yukio’s skin to speak. He couldn’t stop himself from continuing from there, down the inside of Yukio’s thigh, letting his tongue pass his lips to taste and tease. With a small, private smile, he sucked lightly on the pristine skin, his tongue lavishing it with attention as his hand found its way around to the outside of Yukio’s hip, running his thumb over a prominent hip bone.

Yukio’s lower body writhed under Ichigo’s teasing, pleasured sounds falling from his lips. He arched into every touch, the action automatic. It was overwhelming in the best way. He loved feeling so completely out of control, trusting his partners entirely to take care of him, waves of heat surging within him with no ability to relieve the tension other than move as much as he could beneath Ichigo, his heels dragging along the bed as his legs flexed and straightened repeatedly, his entire body sweating and shaking in need. 

Ichigo was releasing moans and constantly moving his hands and mouth along Yukio’s body, feeling lean muscles flex as Yukio desperately tried to relieve the pressure. Eventually, as much as Ichigo loved seeing Yukio react so freely to his actions, he knew he would need him to calm so he could prepare him. So he pulled away from Yukio completely, hovering over him again, heated amber eyes growing darker with desire as he saw Yukio’s parted lips, flushed cheeks, and glassy, dark emerald eyes. “I’m going to prepare you now, my Yukio. You can move against the toy -  _ gently  _ \- as I do so. Do you understand?” he asked, his voice entirely serious.

Yukio’s legs still moved a bit, heels against the bed as he panted, trying to calm. He nodded his head, desperately wanting to feel  _ something  _ in him, as soon as possible. "Ja, mein Ichigo, I understand," Yukio responded, his voice strained with an underlying whine. 

Ichigo watched Yukio as he sat back on his knees to pick up and lube the toy, satisfied when it seemed that he was slowly calming as much as he possibly could given the circumstances. He wasted no time, knowing Yukio was already quite desperate, and brought the toy to the smaller man’s entrance, pressing in and immediately beginning a pattern of gentle thrusts that had the toy delving a bit deeper each time. With how narrow most of the toy was, he wasn’t at all worried about hurting Yukio, and he trusted Yukio - even in this state - not to hurt himself as he moved against it.

Yukio groaned deeply, emerald eyes fluttering, barely open and trained upon Ichigo as he deftly prepared his body. Yukio moved his hips with the motion, being gentle as Ichigo had instructed, immensely glad he'd been allowed to move at all. It was helping relieve the tension that kept building only to hit a wall within him, kept on the edge of climax without the ability to let go. Words continued to spill from his lips as he moaned and panted, "Ahhh - Ja - mein Ichigo - Bitte - So gut - Mehr bitte - mein Ichigo - mine -" 

Ichigo met Yukio’s movements, slightly altering the angle of the toy with each light thrust to be sure that he was thoroughly prepared. It had become quite simple for Ichigo to prepare Yukio this way, and soon he had the toy fully sunk into Yukio’s body, moving it back and forth gently. “Alright, my Yukio, are you ready to watch me with Jushiro? You can hold out for us just a bit longer, can’t you?” he asked, moving up to kiss Yukio’s cheek, the toy still lightly thrusting in and out of Yukio’s body to ease some of the pressure he knew he had to be experiencing.

"Ja, mein Ichigo," Yukio panted, his voice strained and breathy. "Anything, for you…" He knew watching such a thing was going to have him aching and begging by the end, but he honestly loved that and he completely trusted his partners to know when he couldn't hold on any longer. 

“Good, my Yukio,” Ichigo said softly, kissing his cheek again before gently pulling the toy from within his body and putting it aside before reaching over for the plug that was on the bedside table, catching Jushiro’s eyes - already seeing a mischievous glint in jade depths - as he did so. Ichigo thoroughly lubed the plug and reached down to carefully insert it into Yukio’s body to the narrow point before it flared again to keep it in place. He then took Yukio in his arms briefly, shifting his smaller partner to sit with his side against the headboard - keeping all of his weight off of his still bound arms behind his back and his hips tilted to keep from putting pressure on the plug. “Comfortable, Yukio?” he asked, running a hand through fine blonde hair.

Yukio focused on calming his breathing, leaning fully against the headboard as he nodded. "Ja… Mein Ichigo… Danke…" He leaned into the hand in his hair, breathing deeply as his heart rate came down. A relaxed subspace stole over him, feeling so completely restrained and filled by the plug, emerald eyes becoming more glassy but also more calm. He was grateful for the small reprieve, especially with what he was about to watch. 

Jushiro waited until Ichigo pulled his hand away from Yukio’s hair to move, and when he did, he grasped one of Ichigo’s wrists, attempting to pull him toward him only to be met with equal force. When jade eyes met amber, the fire in Ichigo’s eyes caused Jushiro to smile. Of course he wouldn’t be caught off-guard. In fact, Ichigo surprised Jushiro when he used his grip on his wrist to pull him toward him, Jushiro all but falling against Ichigo’s chest. A strong arm was around him in an instant, and Ichigo’s other hand was wrenching his chin up to take him in a demanding kiss. 

When Ichigo’s tongue swiped none too lightly against his lips, though, Jushiro opened his mouth only to instantly bite down warningly on Ichigo’s tongue as it invaded his mouth. When Ichigo yelped and pulled away at the slight pain, Jushiro took advantage of the distraction and slipped under Ichigo’s arm that had loosened slightly, gaining some distance between them as he slid back on the bed, far enough toward the end that he avoided Yukio entirely. Ichigo’s predatory grin only fueled Jushiro’s desire, and he returned the expression. “Undress me, Ichigo - if you can get a hold long enough to do so,” he challenged.

Ichigo gave a sound very similar to a growl before launching himself at Jushiro, determined to remove the man’s clothing even if it meant tearing them off of his body. Jushiro caught both of Ichigo’s wrists when he reached for him, holding him back with surprising strength. “If I rip your clothes, I’ll buy you new ones. You asked for it anyway,” Ichigo said, his voice low and strained with the effort it took to push back against Jushiro’s force.

“I don’t have any emotional attachment to these clothes anyway,” Jushiro replied, though his tone was quite challenging. Finally, he let go of the force he was putting forth to hold Ichigo back, allowing Ichigo to fall onto him but attempting to redirect his weight to the side. His plan backfired entirely, though, when Ichigo let his weight fall without attempting to catch himself as Jushiro had figured he would. The air was knocked from him in a quiet grunt as Ichigo pinned him to the bed. 

Ichigo smirked as he kept most of his weight atop Jushiro, and as he shifted his weight onto his hips to lift slightly off of Jushiro’s upper body, he ground down rather harshly. The growl traced with a moan that he was rewarded with sent heat flooding him, and he used Jushiro’s distraction to push his shirt up, stopped by his shoulders with no indication that Jushiro was going to be so kind as to lift his arms for him. 

Jushiro returned Ichigo’s smirk as he tightened his arms down on Ichigo’s hands, Ichigo clearly realizing that he had made a mistake in trailing his hands up his sides to push up his shirt. With pure core strength and a shift of his legs to wrap around Ichigo’s thighs, Jushiro flipped their positions, Ichigo fighting incessantly to free his hands to no avail. 

Yukio’s heart rate was steadily increasing again as he watched them, not really able to do anything else. It was just so incredibly hot, watching them this way, both playful and predatory and neither one backing down. Soft whines began issuing from his lips again as heat flooded him, moving his heels against the bed again to relieve some of the tension, emerald eyes locked on both gorgeous men, completely enraptured and impossibly aroused. 

Jushiro held himself as far from Ichigo as he could with his hands trapped under his arms, trying to devise a way to get Ichigo on his back as he wanted him. Eventually, he was going to have to release his hands, because his arms were beginning to burn with the effort. But as soon as he released the pressure, he dismounted from on top of Ichigo’s body, deeming it impossible to effectively flip him onto his back while he was still straddling him. 

Ichigo followed as Jushiro retreated, sitting up and wrapping his arms around him again, trapping the taller but leaner man against him. He felt Jushiro’s hair teasing at one of his arms around his back and couldn’t help the rather haughty smile that came to his lips as he shifted one hand up to take hold of a handful of hair.

Jushiro growled, not at all enjoying the feeling of his hair being captured, even with no pressure being applied, unable to move his head much while Ichigo had such a firm hold on it. The lack of freedom over his own actions caused an irrational defensiveness to rise in him, but he found himself rather defenseless, his arms trapped at his sides. All he found he could do was feign a surrender, falling onto his back and allowing Ichigo’s weight to cover him again as he kept his tight hold on him.

Ichigo chuckled a bit as Jushiro pulled him down, misreading his actions as a true relenting of control. That only made Jushiro’s mouth latching onto his neck all the more shocking, and he gasped at the immediate, harsh suction and scrape of teeth. It hurt - he could admit that - but the slight pain only caused heat to flood him, desire mounting higher as Jushiro didn’t let up. Ichigo actually cried out when Jushiro began to move his hips against him, his obviously hard length sliding against his own through the fabric of Jushiro’s pants.

Jushiro didn’t let up the assault at all, knowing that if Ichigo wanted relief from any of it,  _ he  _ would have to be the one to let go. Jushiro could easily ignore the sensation of thrusting against Ichigo, his mind focused only on freeing himself by driving Ichigo insane with unsatisfied lust.

Yukio released a rather desperate moan, his heels moving to dig into the bed a bit but it really wasn't helping him anymore. His breathing was a mixture of gasps and harsh panting. He was really  _ trying  _ to keep it together as Ichigo had asked - but seeing his kind, gentle Meister acting so forcibly always got to him. It affected him so much he had to close his eyes, each pant laced with a soft whine of desperate need. 

Jushiro was aware of the tone of the sounds Yukio was making, and he released his harsh hold on Ichigo’s neck, bringing his legs up to firmly wrap around Ichigo’s waist, not allowing him to escape before he spoke harshly into his ear, “Are you going to behave now, Ichigo? I believe Yukio has very nearly had enough.” 

Ichigo writhed a bit over Jushiro as he stopped his movement but kept the pressure on his cock with his legs around him. “Fuck - don’t want to stop,” he complained, his voice traced with a low whine. 

Jushiro sighed, deciding that the only way he was going to actually  _ win  _ was going to be with excessive use of force and skill that he hadn’t previously shown. He worked his right arm up and out of Ichigo’s hold, effectively breaking away from Ichigo’s tight grasp with that arm. In nearly the same instant, he shifted his right foot under Ichigo’s hip, throwing off Ichigo’s center of gravity and allowing him to shift his weight from under him, both of Ichigo’s arms releasing from sheer surprise at the sudden, decisive movements. 

Before the next action even registered as a thought, though, Jushiro was pushing Ichigo away from him with his left hand and right foot, and before he could catch him, Ichigo fell, disappearing off the side of the bed and landing on the carpeted floor with a loud thud. “Ichigo!” he called, just a moment too late. He quickly crawled to the edge of the bed and looked down to find Ichigo flat on his back, his hysterical laughter filling the room. Jushiro let out a relieved sigh when he saw that Ichigo was certainly not hurt, but he asked anyway, “Are you alright?”

Ichigo nodded, unable to reply verbally through his uncontrollable laughter. Still, he forced out, “That’s the - first time I’ve - ever been - thrown off - a damn bed,” barely able to speak at all as he couldn’t stop laughing.

Jushiro looked back at Yukio, now smiling as he told him, “He’s fine, love.”

Yukio emerald eyes had immediately opened, wide and a bit panicked at the tone of his Meister's voice as he called Ichigo's name. He calmed immediately though at his reassurance, even giggling himself, Ichigo's laughter becoming contagious. 

Jushiro chuckled a bit, looking back down at Ichigo as he said, “You know, we accomplished absolutely nothing. I’m still fully dressed and you are  _ not  _ collared and bound as you should be.”

Ichigo was just barely calming from his fit of laughter, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand as he took calming breaths. “I don’t even care - that was probably the most fun I’ve ever had. After  _ that,  _ I’ll sit nicely and let you do what you want to me,” he replied, finally sitting up. He took another deep breath before standing, still smiling brightly.

“Would you like to undress me properly, Ichigo?” Jushiro offered, shifting to slide off the bed to stand next to him. 

Ichigo nodded, bringing a hand up to Jushiro’s cheek and pulling him into a soft kiss. When he pulled away, he moved his hand back to thread into silky white hair. “Love you, Jushiro. I love that you do these ridiculous things for me,” he said softly.

Jushiro smiled warmly as Ichigo brought his hands to the hem of his shirt again to push it up and off as he lifted his arms to accommodate. “I love you, too, Ichigo. I didn’t really hurt you, did I?” he asked, his eyes tracing Ichigo’s body and only finding the rather prominent mark he had made on his neck.

“Not at all. That was not only hot but honestly hilarious. How the hell did you do that anyway? I didn’t even have a chance to try to figure it out before you were pushing me off the bed,” Ichigo replied, working at the clasp and zipper of Jushiro’s pants.

Jushiro watched as Ichigo finished undressing him, saying, “When Shunsui showed an interest in being treated so roughly, I actually took martial arts classes to truly give him a challenge. I suppose I still know a bit, even if I haven’t used it in a while.” By the time he had finished speaking, Ichigo was standing again from kneeling to remove his pants and boxers, and Jushiro’s breath hitched a bit when Ichigo paused to kiss his hipbone before standing. 

“That’s actually really hot,” Ichigo said, his voice low with desire. He smiled as he brought his hand to Jushiro’s cheek again, kissing him briefly, knowing if he lingered, he would want more from his partner than he really needed to be tempted toward at the moment. 

Jushiro chuckled at Ichigo’s comment. “Alright, Ichigo, if you’re going to cooperate now, go on and sit next to Yukio, enough away from the headboard that I can sit behind you,” he instructed.

Ichigo nodded, getting back on the bed and doing as he was told, smiling over at Yukio as Jushiro gathered what he would need. “You doing alright, my Yukio?” he asked gently, reaching over to run his fingers through soft blonde hair, really more behind Yukio than next to him since Yukio’s side was against the headboard.

Yukio hummed, leaning into the touch as his emerald eyes fluttered shut. "I'm gut, mein Ichigo," Yukio breathed out. The break in sexual tension and the brief laughing fit had allowed him to calm himself, smiling happily. He was still extremely aroused but it was no longer an immediate, pressing need. 

Ichigo leaned over to kiss Yukio’s hair as Jushiro came to sit behind him. He withdrew his hand from Yukio’s hair to sit properly, already bringing his hands behind his back as he knew Jushiro would need them, his wrists one on top of the other. 

Jushiro smiled at Ichigo’s clear compliance, but took a moment to first address Yukio, knowing he was in quite the desperate state before he was forced to be so decisively rough with Ichigo. He had heard Yukio confirm that he was alright when speaking to Ichigo, but he couldn’t help his own concern still cropping up. He brought a hand up to run gently over Yukio’s bound arms, saying quietly, “How are your arms feeling, love? If they’re getting stiff or sore, I can unbind you now before I do what’s planned for Ichigo.”

“I’m gut like this, Meister,” Yukio responded, surfacing a bit more with the direct questions from his partners and their obvious concern. “Ichigo positioned me so I’m not leaning against the binding at all. If I was, I’m sure I would feel a bit sore, but I only feel restrained. I can’t move my arms at all but there’s no pain or discomfort, Meister.” Yukio’s voice was still very soft and a bit slower than usual, but he needed to assure his Meister.

Jushiro nodded, giving Yukio a smile. “I’d like to turn you to face us, though, if that’s alright, love. If watching us is too much, you can close your eyes, but I want to be able to see you and judge your condition without needing to ask you. I won’t take long with Ichigo, since he’s nice and cooperative now,” he said with a chuckle, running a hand through sunset orange hair.

"I will face you, Meister. I… can't really move myself though…" Yukio responded, blushing faintly. 

Jushiro leaned over, nudging Ichigo a bit to have him scoot forward so he could reach Yukio properly. He placed an arm behind Yukio’s knees, his other hand bracing the back of his neck as he turned him, careful not to put pressure on the plug under him. He placed him in the same position facing them, hips tilted slightly and his side against the headboard. Once Yukio was settled, Jushiro sat behind Ichigo again, coaxing Ichigo back to sit directly in front of him. “Is that alright, love?” Jushiro asked, smiling as he could more easily reach over and cup Yukio’s cheek in his palm.

Yukio smiled, leaning into the touch as he responded, “Ja, Meister. Danke.”

Jushiro nodded, pulling his hand away and reaching over to pick up a small piece of rope from the bedside table, just enough to bind Ichigo’s wrists, which were again in the proper position behind his back. He made quick work of the familiar and actually quite simple tie, leaving one loose end much longer than the other. He felt Ichigo test the tension when he finished the knot and ran a soothing hand down his back. “You’re alright, Ichigo. You’re doing well,” he said softly, leaning over again to retrieve a leather collar. 

Ichigo’s breath hitched when Jushiro placed the collar on his neck, tightening it as much as possible without actually choking him. When he buckled it, there was only room between the leather and his skin for Jushiro to run one finger under it to be sure it was properly fitted. He felt Jushiro slip the long end of the rope that was around his wrists under the collar, wrapping it twice around and pulling the tension tight before forming a quick but secure knot. Ichigo had to hold back a moan as he felt his mind slipping at the combined sensations of his wrists being bound and the pressure on his throat as he relaxed his arms, causing the collar to press on the front of his neck. 

Jushiro ran his hands over Ichigo’s arms, not pulling or placing any more pressure on the rope that attached his wrists to the collar. “Alright, Ichigo, since you were meant to be on your stomach for this originally, I’m going to need you to lay on your stomach now - that will be easiest and most comfortable way for me to prepare you,” he said gently, keeping his soothing touch on Ichigo’s arms and back.

Ichigo nodded, having settled into the sensation of slightly deeper than light subspace, a small whine surfacing as every slight adjustment of his wrists pulled a bit tighter on the collar. With Jushiro’s hands bracing his shoulders to keep him from actually falling to the bed, he leaned forward, Jushiro lowering him to the bed. His legs were spread around Jushiro as he relaxed on the bed, and he shuddered a bit when Jushiro settled back on his knees, his hands moving down from Ichigo’s shoulders, down his sides, and over his ass to rest on the backs of his thighs. 

Jushiro found the lube, which had been a bit lost in his and Ichigo’s struggle, and slicked two fingers, placing the bottle back on the bedside table this time. He traced Ichigo’s entrance for only a moment before sliding in one finger, Ichigo’s body remaining relaxed around the intrusion. This was quite an odd angle to prepare someone from, but Jushiro adjusted his actions accordingly, having done so before. He swore he had likely done nearly everything from every possible position over the years and he had only had one partner. 

Ichigo’s breath quickened as Jushiro prepared him, the pleasure within him rising even though Jushiro wasn’t intentionally stimulating. His voice was a constant, low hum traced occasionally with a whine, increasing in volume as Jushiro fully seated one finger and slipped in another. He knew this quick preparation wasn’t by design - Jushiro was likely doing so because of how long Yukio had already been waiting - but the decisive, less-than-careful movements when Jushiro wasn’t teasing always made Ichigo’s blood run a bit hot.

Before he really realized he was doing so, Ichigo was rocking his hips up against Jushiro’s fingers, and the friction of his cock against the bed made him groan lowly and continue the action when he wasn’t immediately stopped. The tension in his body had him unintentionally pulling against the rope behind his back as he tried to arch into Jushiro’s fingers, and he whimpered at the pressure against his neck. “Please,” he whined, though he wasn’t even sure what he was begging for - really  _ anything  _ to relieve the tension, because he knew he didn’t even remotely have permission to bring himself to release against the bed.

Jushiro quickly finished stretching Ichigo’s body, slowly pulling his fingers out and holding back a groan of his own at Ichigo’s desperate whine as they were removed. “I’m going to move you to lay on your side, Ichigo, so you can see me and Yukio while I unbind him,” he told him, not even waiting for a response before doing so, moving to kneel next to him and pressing his hip and shoulder to turn him onto his side. Glassy, needy amber eyes met with his and he leaned down to kiss Ichigo softly. “It won’t be long, Ichigo, then you and Yukio will both get some relief,” he said when he pulled away.

Ichigo nodded, still whimpering a bit as Jushiro moved to sit on his knees behind Yukio. It was a good thing he was bound, because he would have been much too tempted to grab Jushiro while he was so close if he hadn’t been. Being forced to simply watch was maddening, but the lack of control was pulling him further into submission, his whimpering fading a bit into a still desperate hum as he surrendered himself to what Jushiro wanted of him.

Jushiro settled behind Yukio, running a hand down his ribbon-covered arms. “I’m going to unbind you now, alright, love?” he asked softly.

“Ja, Meister - bitte,” Yukio whimpered out, his glassy emerald eyes focused on Ichigo. Ichigo was always so strong and dominant towards him, watching him slip into subspace never failed to capture his complete attention. But the sheer level of need he’d been brought to, pleasuring himself on Jushiro’s fingers and the bed, had Yukio’s own heart rate and breathing pick up again. By the time Jushiro had proposed unbinding him, Yukio was to the point of begging again himself, the arousal within him nearly becoming unbearable, especially after being edged for so long. 

Jushiro knew he needed to be slow and gentle, releasing Yukio’s arms from this rather straining position, even if Yukio didn’t  _ feel  _ like they were getting tired or sore. As much as Yukio likely wanted him to do this as quickly as possible, there was no way he was going to be anything but careful and thorough. He loosened the knot just below Yukio’s elbows, letting the ribbon slowly ease the tension as Yukio’s arms naturally pulled apart. He brought both hands to one of Yukio’s shoulders, massaging out any tension that had gathered being forced into the same position for so long. 

He was quiet throughout the process, the only sounds in the room being Yukio’s and Ichigo’s increasingly desperate utterances as he took his time with Yukio. He guided Yukio’s arms back to a natural position at his sides, massaging out his shoulders and arms even more thoroughly than he had before binding him. “Does that feel alright, love? Is there anywhere that’s still sore or tense?” he asked, keeping his voice quiet and soothing.

“No, Meister,” Yukio breathed out, his hands flexing repeatedly now that they could but really nothing was helping relieve the tension within him at this point. “I’m gut - but -  _ need…”  _ Yukio’s voice trailed off with a rather desperate whine, his emerald eyes glassy and impossibly dark with desire, pupils blown wide as they remained locked on Ichigo.

“I know, love - soon,” Jushiro promised, kissing his forehead. He reached down to also ease the plug from Yukio’s body, running his other hand through Yukio’s hair as the smaller man whined at the sensation, though he knew at this point very little he could do would be any amount of comfort. With another kiss to Yukio’s forehead, he moved back to sit against the headboard, leaning up to pull Ichigo to him, shifting him so that his back was against Jushiro’s chest. “Edge yourself, Ichigo, as I ease into you, and hold out until Yukio is ready. Understand?” he asked, his hands moving to Ichigo’s hips. 

“Yes, please - just…  _ please,”  _ Ichigo begged, pressing his head back onto Jushiro’s shoulder and lifting his hips as well as he could with the slight leverage. 

“Good, Ichigo,” Jushiro murmured, kissing Ichigo’s hair before reaching over to quickly but rather awkwardly squeeze lube into his palm using only one hand. He reached between them to spread it onto his cock before positioning himself at Ichigo’s entrance, guiding Ichigo’s hips down slowly onto him. He was glad Ichigo allowed him to control the action, initially fearing that Ichigo would attempt to take him in too quickly. He gave a shuddering groan as he was fully sheathed, Ichigo’s weight settling on him. He took a few deep breaths to steady himself before moving his hands up a bit between them, bracing Ichigo’s back to keep too much weight off of his bound arms.

Ichigo was constantly whimpering in need, very nearly to the point of wanting to fuck himself on Jushiro’s cock, but he refrained, knowing there would likely be consequences for such an action without permission. “Yukio - need you - please,” he whined, glassy amber eyes trailing over to find even hazier emerald. 

“Go on and ride him, love. I’ll remove your ring when Ichigo is close,” Jushiro allowed, knowing Yukio likely wouldn’t act without his explicit direction with Ichigo in this state of moderate subspace.

“Ja -” Yukio gasped out, moving immediately to settle himself over Ichigo’s lap. He carefully began taking him into his body, going as quickly as he could without causing himself any pain, knowing both him and Ichigo needed the relief. He moaned brokenly as he was filled, bracing his hands on Ichigo's shoulders, groaning deeply when he was fully seated. He paused, kissing Ichigo's face between shallow breaths, whispering out, "Mein Ichigo -  _ mine _ \- love feeling you - so full - so gut -" 

Ichigo would have been trembling even more harshly than he already was if not for the fact that he was pinned between his two partners, both filled and surrounded at the same time. His voice was a constant whine, and Yukio’s weight on him and body enveloping him in tight heat was driving him so far into pleasure that he melted against Jushiro’s body behind him, tilting his chin back and resting his head on Jushiro’s shoulder as he felt every bit of his control leaving him. He didn’t even have the mind to beg anymore, simply surrendering because it was all he had left to do, amber eyes falling half-lidded as an unfamiliar tingle spread under his skin.

Seeing Ichigo fully surrender beneath him caused Yukio to release a whine, kissing his lips and whimpering more at how completely pliant his usually fiery Ichigo was. He began to move, kissing him more fervently, his tongue swiping at his lips and keening in the back of his throat when Ichigo opened for him. Ichigo didn’t resist at all, allowing him to deepen the kiss as his pace picked up, fucking himself faster and harder. He’d never seen Ichigo fall this deeply into subspace before, and Yukio felt compelled to keep him there, sink him even further if he could. Emerald eyes sought out jade, moaning at his clearly pleased expression before kissing Ichigo harder, feeding off of how much pleasure he was obviously bringing Ichigo and how happy he was making his Meister.

Ichigo’s eyes slid completely shut as Yukio so thoroughly claimed his mouth and took control of the pace as he fucked himself on his cock. He whined continuously into Yukio’s mouth, every ounce of control he thought he had escaping him completely. He was so close - pushed to the edge rather harshly and forced to hold back. He didn’t think he could do much of anything without being told to, the searing tension in his core remaining frustratingly stagnant even when he  _ wanted  _ to let go. His breaths through his nose were shallow and shaky, his entire body trembling even more noticeably and his sounds a bit higher in pitch as he grew increasingly desperate for direction.

Jushiro could tell just how deep Ichigo had fallen - further than he ever had before - and his own domspace deepened as a result, his every sense completely attuned to both of his partners. He shifted his hands to center one flat on Ichigo’s back, still working to keep pressure off of Ichigo’s bound wrists, and brought the other around to prepare to remove Yukio’s ring. “Ichigo is close, love. I’m going to take off the ring. You don’t have to change anything you’re doing if you don’t wish to. Just come when you need to. And Ichigo, when you feel Yukio come, you may as well,” he instructed them both, receiving only confirming sounds muffled between their mouths as a response. He knew with both of them within subspace - and both even deeper than any moderate subspace - that was all he could expect, so he reached up to carefully slide the ring from Yukio’s cock, trying not to interrupt his rhythm as he did so.

Yukio hadn’t been holding himself back at all - hadn’t been since the ring was placed on him to begin with - and he came almost immediately. He had to break the kiss, desperately needed air and crying out. He increased his pace even more as he rode out his climax and aftershocks,  _ needing _ to feel Ichigo fill him as he gasped, “Mein Ichigo - come -  _ bitte _ -”

Ichigo wasn’t far behind, his release triggered nearly immediately when he felt Yukio’s body clench and pulse around him. He pressed back against Jushiro’s cock within him, crying out at the dual stimulation, his orgasm powerful and drawn out as pleasure racked his body, the aftershocks nearly as strong as the initial wave and sinking him into an ocean of bliss he swore he had never felt in his life. As the incessant tension was finally relieved, he went completely boneless between Yukio and Jushiro, panting steadily and still shaking occasionally in the distant effects of his climax despite the relaxation that inundated his mind.

Yukio had stilled as he felt Ichigo fill him, settling with him as deep inside of him as he could. He pressed kisses to his face again, words falling from his lips without thought, “Mein Ichigo - so gut - love you - so much -  _ mine _ \- my gorgeous Ichigo -”

A small smile came to Ichigo’s lips as Yukio kissed him, humming contentedly at his words. “Love you… my Yukio,” he murmured, his voice barely surfacing. Every action just seemed like it took an impossible amount of effort, his body heavy and even his voice barely cooperating. He swore his eyes were open - at least the thought they were - but he truly couldn’t even comprehend what he was seeing, only feeling Jushiro behind him and Yukio on top of him. The realization didn’t cause him any alarm, though. As long as he could feel them and knew they were there, the thoughtless, empty peace remained intact, and he didn’t have even a small desire to fight it.

Jushiro couldn’t see Ichigo’s face, so he could only speculate just how far Ichigo had fallen into subspace. He was entirely lax on top of him, his body putting no pressure on his cock within him. He looked to Yukio, though, catching his gaze, jade eyes rather pointedly glancing at Ichigo, asking the unspoken question of Ichigo’s condition.

Yukio held Jushiro’s gaze, leaning forward, his arms circling Ichigo’s neck as he held him and nuzzled his cheek against his. One hand came to massage Ichigo’s scalp as he responded quietly, “He’s gut, Meister. Just very deep.” Truthfully, Yukio himself was still in a moderate to heavy subspace, but he was more aware than usual, knowing how vulnerable Ichigo was this way, feeling like he needed to be here for him. He turned his head, kissing Ichigo’s cheek again and murmuring into his ear, “So gut, mein Ichigo. I’m here with Meister. We have you - we’ll never let you go…”

Jushiro smiled, bringing the hand that was already loose from behind Ichigo to run through Yukio’s hair. It was amazing to him how intuitive Yukio was, even in the state he was in himself. “You’re both incredible. I love you both so much. Just relax - I’m here for you. I could  _ never  _ leave you,” he said softly, carding his fingers through Yukio’s hair and turning to kiss Ichigo’s hair. 

Ichigo could really only find the focus within him to breathe, resting between his partners and coming down from the desperation he had felt before his release. It was what had driven him so far into subspace - the feeling that he was  _ so far  _ past desperate that all he could do was give up. He whimpered a bit as he pulled against the rope around his wrists, the slight struggle pulling against the collar that he had nearly forgotten was around his neck, the sensation getting lost in the constant slight tingling beneath his skin. He wanted to hold Yukio, and being denied such a thing was causing slight panic to enter his mind.

Jushiro felt Ichigo pull against the binding, and he knew Ichigo would be more comfortable if he was released. “I’m going to unbind your wrists, now, Ichigo,” he said quietly. He didn’t wait for confirmation, knowing there likely wouldn’t be any besides perhaps a small sound, before untying the knot at the collar, relieving the pressure at Ichigo’s neck. It didn’t take long to untie Ichigo’s wrists, and when Jushiro pulled the rope out from between them, he eased Ichigo’s arms back around to his front, allowing the motion when Ichigo brought them up to hold Yukio against him.

Ichigo let out a relieved sigh when he was finally able to put his arms around Yukio. “My Yukio,” he whispered, still not finding much more strength in his voice.

Yukio smiled brilliantly at Jushiro, emerald eyes still focused on his Meister over Ichigo’s shoulder. He rested his chin against said shoulder, saying softly, “Ja, mein Ichigo. I’m your Yukio. Always yours. Love you, so much…” He continued to massage Ichigo’s head, fingers trailing through soft sunset orange hair as he leaned completely against him, surrounding his body with his own and Jushiro’s. 

Jushiro held Yukio’s gaze, a soft smile on his lips as he occasionally kissed Ichigo’s hair. He sat in the peace of his two partners resting on him, the weight not even disturbing as he relaxed against the headboard. He would give Ichigo as much time as he needed to surface slowly, not willing to do much else past unbinding him to make any changes in the way they were situated. 

It seemed like hours in Ichigo’s completely empty mind before any amount of awareness began to filter back in. He almost felt like he was waking from deep sleep, his mind pulled from a thoughtless oblivion as small thoughts began to cross. He gave a heavy sigh, tightening his arms around Yukio and groaning as he shifted to feel Jushiro still buried deep and hard within him. 

Jushiro brought his hands to Ichigo’s hips. “I’ll help you move off of me, Ichigo. You don’t have to let Yukio go - just lay next to me,” he instructed. When Ichigo nodded, he helped him lift his hips, giving a shuddering breath himself at the sensation of sliding from Ichigo’s body. He pushed Ichigo’s hips to the side, and Ichigo used his legs to shift to the bed next to him.

As soon as Ichigo was off of Jushiro and lying on the bed, he shifted onto his side, still holding Yukio to him, though one hand did reach to maintain contact with Jushiro, resting on the other man’s chest as Jushiro moved to lay flat on the bed next to them.

“Love you both - so much. I can’t even… really describe how that felt,” Ichigo murmured, still floating in a moderate subspace that was much more familiar to him but immensely relaxing.

Yukio hummed happily, saying softly, “I’m so glad I was able to see you that way, mein Ichigo. You were so beautiful, completely surrendered like that. I was so happy to help take care of you - especially after how many times you’ve cared for me that way. Love you, so much…”

Jushiro brought an arm around both of them, holding them to his side, Yukio’s back against him. “I love you, Ichigo. You both did so incredibly well. You’re so intuitive, love, knowing just what to do for Ichigo,” he said gently, reaching over with his other hand to run his fingers through fine blonde hair.

“Danke, Meister,” Yukio responded, smiling brightly and leaning into his touch. Warmth flooded through him, knowing he did well for both of his partners and that they were pleased with him. “I’ll always help take care of mein Ichigo, I love being able to do so.”

Ichigo nuzzled his nose into Yukio’s hair, taking a deep breath that was completely steady. He was as aware of himself as he truly needed to be to continue the scene, so he tightened his arms around Yukio and kissed his forehead, saying, “You ready to keep going, Yukio? I’m good now - just really relaxed still.”

Yukio nodded, responding, “Ja, mein Ichigo. I’m gut. You know I’d do anything for you and Meister.”

Jushiro heard the two of them talking, but didn’t stop carding his fingers through Yukio’s hair as he instructed, “Yukio, when you’re ready, get the lube and come sit however you’re comfortable between my legs.” 

Yukio nodded, kissing Ichigo before squirming a bit, giggling when Ichigo squeezed him tight before allowing him to move away. He grabbed the bottle of lube, sitting with his own legs crossed, deciding to give his knees a bit of a break. Ichigo had moved closer to them, his hand coming to caress his thigh and Yukio beamed at him, carding his fingers through his hair before directing his emerald eyes to meet jade, waiting for further instruction. 

Jushiro kept his arm around Ichigo, running his hand down his back as he looked down at Yukio. “Now, I want you to prepare me, as slowly as you feel you need to. I will direct you, love. Don’t worry about actively avoiding stimulating - just focus on being thorough. Understand?” he asked, jade eyes locked with emerald.

Yukio’s smile turned a bit mischievous as he responded, “Ja, Meister. I understand. I’ll be very thorough.” He lubed his own fingers, bringing the first to Jushiro’s entrance and tracing, emerald eyes still locked with jade as he applied very gentle pressure until the finger eased inside. He carefully watched his Meister’s expression as he gently worked the finger in deeper, stretching as much as possible with the single digit.

Jushiro was clearly staying immensely calm - much  _ too  _ calm for Ichigo - as Yukio began preparing him. So, Ichigo trailed his lips over Jushiro’s neck, lightly at first but increasing the pressure, working for some reaction from the controlled man. He growled a bit when Jushiro only hummed a bit at his actions, and he moved to kiss down Jushiro’s chest, finding a nipple and teasing with his tongue.

Jushiro wasn’t at all shocked when Ichigo didn’t even attempt to start slow with his task of edging him while Yukio prepared him. When his tongue found a sensitive nipple, he did give a low groan, his arm around Ichigo tightening a bit. Still, the pleasure wasn’t overwhelming - just enough to keep him stimulated while Yukio prepared him. His primary focus was on Yukio anyway, intent to direct him as needed or at least confirm for him that he was performing his task well. So far, Yukio had only one finger fully inserted, and was stretching as well as possible before adding another. “Good, love - doing so well,” he praised, his voice a bit low but not overtaken at all by the pleasure Ichigo was giving him.

Yukio beamed at the praise, his entire face lighting up at his Meister telling him he was performing well. He actually gently removed his finger entirely and re-lubed both it and a second finger before working them both in together, being just as gentle and thorough as will one. He concentrated on actually stretching, moving his fingers apart as much as he was able as he moved them in and out, his other hand petting down his Meister’s inner thigh, emerald eyes still watching his expression closely.

Jushiro’s breathing became a bit shallow, but he was still entirely focused as he felt what Yukio was doing. Still, that focus seemed to intensify the sensation, and the increased feeling of being filled as Yukio worked two fingers in and out of his body had him truly working to keep his breaths steady. Add to that the fact that Ichigo seemed determined to torment his nipple with wet heat, and the arousal he had been diligently ignoring for the entire scene was coming to the surface. 

Ichigo didn’t pull his mouth away at all, reveling in every hitched breath and small shred of evidence that he and Yukio were actually affecting Jushiro. One hand came to the other side of Jushiro’s chest, slowly moving down, fingertips studying and teasing toned abs, which flexed under his touch with anticipation. When he finally reached his goal, Ichigo ran a painfully light touch over the length of Jushiro’s cock, bringing about a broken moan that had Ichigo groaning in the back of his throat.

Yukio’s emerald eyes darkened at the sound, his own smile becoming playful as he hooked his fingers slightly and pressed deeper. He squarely came into contact with Jushiro’s prostate, continuing to stretch by moving his fingers apart but continually pressing against his prostate as a result in the mockery of a massage.

Jushiro held back from actually crying out at the continual prostate stimulation, having fully expected Yukio to do so after his less-than-specific instructions and his and Ichigo’s apparent desire to have him begging by the end of the scene. He settled himself again from the onslaught, but still small sounds were uttered with each breath as he  _ forced  _ himself to calm, this being much more difficult to keep control through than anything else. 

Ichigo drew away from Jushiro’s nipple to return to kissing his neck, allowing tongue and teeth to contact the pristine skin. His hand that had been simply stroking lightly down his cock wrapped around it, beginning a slow rhythm that in no way was going to bring Jushiro to release, but - Ichigo hoped - would frustrate him to the point of voicing his need.

Jushiro’s voice was a nearly constant groan, trying to sort through the pleasure he was experiencing and keep it at a manageable level to last as long as either of his two partners would. He knew eventually either Yukio would need to move forward to relieve himself or Ichigo would be overwhelmed by watching and listening to his pleasured expression and sounds. Either way, he knew he had much more stamina hidden within him than this, so he took a deep, shuddered breath and attempted to relax, though it was becoming a more and more difficult task to manage.

Yukio removed his fingers again, re-lubing them and adding a third. He was extremely gentle this time as he stretched Jushiro with all three, working them in deeply until he was able to push against his prostate again, this time doing so far more directly. He loved watching his Meister fall into pleasure as much as Ichigo did, and as Jushiro’s command was worded in such a way to allow him to do this, he was going to take full advantage.

Jushiro was visibly struggling to keep his calm with Ichigo’s hand keeping such a frustratingly slow pace and Yukio even more intensely massaging his prostate. As Ichigo’s hand firmed the pressure and his rhythm quickened, Jushiro actually whined, the heat within him nearly too much between the two of them. Still, he was far from begging, channeling a semblance of peace with every strained breath. 

Ichigo was becoming increasingly frustrated with Jushiro’s lack of response, though the whine they had drawn from him was quite satisfying. Still, he hadn’t  _ said  _ anything other than the brief praise to Yukio, and Ichigo desperately wanted to hear the older man plead with them. So he pumped Jushiro’s cock rather aggressively, not hurting him but keeping a pace that would have easily brought  _ him  _ to release quite quickly. 

With Yukio’s fingers stretching and filling him, pressing and massaging on his prostate, and Ichigo seeming to actually be attempting to pull his climax from him, Jushiro’s throat was tight with the desire to speak -  _ beg.  _ This was almost a challenge, knowing that his partners’ goal was to drive him this far, and he held out for as long as he could, which was only a few minutes before he was groaning out the words, “Stop - please - need you, Yukio - please, love.”

Yukio immediately, though carefully, withdrew his fingers. He made quick work of lubing his own cock, whimpering slightly before lining himself up with his Meister’s entrance. Here he paused, his heart racing. He’d acted fairly automatically, his mind taking Jushiro’s words as an order. But he’d never actually taken Jushiro like this before - he’d very  _ rarely _ taken Ichigo - and he had to take a very deep breath to steady himself. Still, his Meister’s words compelled him - he’d said he  _ needed  _ him.  _ Him. _ So he couldn’t not obey. He very gently pushed inside, moaning brokenly, emerald eyes glazed and dark as he slowly took his Meister.

Heat flooded Jushiro as he felt Yukio press into his body, his control having returned quite a bit with the lack of pressure on his prostate and Ichigo having halted his motions and pulled his hand away when he had been told to. Jushiro brought his hands up to run up and down Yukio’s sides, his breathing still a bit ragged as he said, “Yes, love - so good - thrust in slowly.”

Yukio complied, allowing his Meister’s voice to command his actions. He thrusted very slowly, a bit deeper every time, his own breath coming out in shallow pants, a whine escaping each time. “So gut - Meister -” Yukio gasped out, the sensation completely overwhelming him but his control entirely with Jushiro, following his instructions perfectly without thought.

Jushiro moved his hands down to firmly grip Yukio’s hips as he sank into him, the sensation of being filled by  _ Yukio,  _ his precious submissive, so entirely unique that it sent a wave of satisfied warmth over him. Seeing bright, glassy emerald eyes focused on his own, and feeling the slow progression as he thrusted in had him flexing his fingers around Yukio’s hips, fighting the urge to press him in faster. “You feel so good, Yukio - love you so much - feeling you like this - it’s so special to me,” he groaned out the words, keeping jade eyes locked with emerald.

“Love you - Meister - so gut -” Yukio gasped out. When he was finally fully seated within him, Yukio continued to thrust very gently, not being told to cease, a desperate whine escaping him. “Meister…  _ So _ gut…” he whimpered, feeling Jushiro around him so unbelievably arousing and overwhelming - that his  _ Meister _ was the one beneath him, allowing him to take him this way.

Jushiro was a mess of groans and other erotic sounds as Yukio didn’t still himself deep inside him, continuing to thrust gently into him, the motion and constantly renewed feeling of being filled driving him into deeper pleasure. “Yukio - you’re doing so incredibly well, love,” he praised, his voice low and husky with nearly overwhelming arousal. 

Ichigo could barely take watching something so incredibly sexy, Yukio taking Jushiro being such a novelty that it had him whining and pressing into Jushiro’s side. Yukio’s eyes were still glassy with subspace, obviously taking Jushiro’s words and pleasured sounds as guidance, not an ounce of control needed or desired to drive Jushiro into such bliss. “Please - need…” but he wasn’t even entirely certain what to ask for, knowing both men were quite occupied. 

Jushiro heard Ichigo’s desperate plea, and he moved one hand down from Yukio’s hip to grasp Ichigo’s cock gently. He knew Ichigo likely wouldn’t be able to watch Yukio take him without needing relief, and obviously Ichigo had forgotten their planned solution. “I’m just going to hold you, Ichigo. Thrust into my hand, you control the pace - come when you feel the need,” he instructed quickly, feeling Ichigo immediately take the direction and begin a hard, fast pace thrusting against him. 

Yukio continued his slow, gentle pace. It was driving him quite mad but he hadn't been directed to do any different - in fact Jushiro had only praised him further. So he continued the maddeningly slow pace, every exhalation laced with a whine, his entire focus narrowed to his Meister. 

Jushiro was allowing his own pleasure to mount as Yukio moved within him. Though he had been edged rather severely, he wanted to be certain he was at the edge when Yukio was, and he knew it took longer for him than either of his partners. It wasn’t terribly long, though, as he allowed Ichigo’s pleasured sounds so close to his ear and Yukio’s desperate whines to inundate his mind, before he was instructing, “Do what feels good for you, love - you won’t hurt me.”

Yukio groaned, immediately thrusting harder and faster. "Ahhhh - Meister -" he whined, overwhelming pleasure surging through him. His own hands flattened on Jushiro's hard chest, holding himself up as his pace only became more rough, emerald eyes completely glassing over as he simply allowed his body to move in the way that felt best. He was already at the edge but holding himself back, completely unable to release without permission, so outside of his own control. So instead he only took his Meister harder, his body trying to release the tension but only mounting more. 

Ichigo was so near the edge himself, and watching Yukio take Jushiro hard and fast, hearing him groan at the pleasure that was mounting within him nearly immediately pulled him over the edge, and he cried out with his release, pressing into Jushiro’s hand and against his side, the friction driving him to continue thrusting through the aftershocks.

Feeling Ichigo release against his side was one of the most unexpectedly erotic things Jushiro had ever felt, and he whined as he panted out, “Come - Yukio, fill me as I come, love - going to come around you.” He had hardly gotten the words out before he was claimed by waves of searing heat, his orgasm crashing into him and causing his breath to stutter and his core to tense.

“Meister -” Yukio cried out, thrusting deep and stilling within him as he came, his arms shaking with the effort of holding himself up. He was panting still, emerald eyes entirely glassy but taking in his Meister’s pleasured expression as he moaned lowly through his own climax and aftershocks, whimpering at the feeling of Jushiro pulsing and clamping down around him. “So gut - Meister -” Yukio panted out, his voice breathy and staccato. “Love you - mein Meister - so much -”

Jushiro’s breathing still wasn’t calm when he moved his hand up from Yukio’s hip to his back, coaxing him down to lay on his chest, relieving the submissive’s shaking arms and allowing him to begin to relax. “Love you, Yukio. That was so good, love. You did so well,” he whispered, running his clean hand over Yukio’s back.

Ichigo had already nearly calmed completely, his mind returning and aware, though he felt entirely drained from everything the scene had entailed. “I’ll go get something to wipe off your hand, Jushiro - so you can hold Yukio,” he offered, his breath still slightly labored.

“No, we’ll make it to the shower soon - just relax, Ichigo. I’m sure Yukio won’t mind the mess if I have to carry him with both hands just to get to the shower. Right, love?” Jushiro asked with a chuckle. Really, he wasn’t sure that Yukio would care about much right now, with the state he was in.

“Right… Meister…” Yukio murmured, nuzzling his cheek against Jushiro’s bare chest, humming and feeling entirely both loved and content.

Ichigo laughed lightly at the seemingly absent response, and he leaned over to kiss Yukio’s hair. “Love you, my Yukio. You looked so sexy with Jushiro like that. I couldn’t even stand it,” he said, bringing a hand up to thread into Yukio’s hair.

Yukio leaned into the touch slightly, but it was barely a motion with how exhausted he suddenly felt, his heart slowing and the adrenaline leaving him. “Love you… mein Ichigo… Danke…” he managed out, still extremely glassy emerald eyes peering into warm amber as he rested against Jushiro’s chest.

Jushiro allowed Yukio to rest on his chest until he felt him fully soften and slide from his body, at which point he tilted his chin down to kiss the top of Yukio’s head and said softly, “I’m going to carry you upstairs, love, and we’ll shower in ours instead of down here. That way you won’t have to stand at all. Does that sound good?”

Yukio smiled, nuzzling further into him as he sighed out, “Gut… Danke… Meister…”

Jushiro hoisted himself up into a seated position, smiling when Yukio automatically shifted to wrap his legs around his waist. When he slid off the bed, he looked back at Ichigo and gestured that he go ahead of him. With Ichigo leading the way, Jushiro carried Yukio up to their bedroom, only needing to wait a moment before the water was warm, Ichigo having turned it on as soon as he entered.

Jushiro had finally designed, paid for, and had the bathroom remodeled, nearly everything brand new and redesigned with their particular needs in mind, including a large walk-in shower with a built-in tile bench along the back wall, a separate showerhead over it to keep anyone sitting from needing to move at all. So, that was where Jushiro settled while Ichigo quickly cleaned himself. Jushiro knew that meant Ichigo planned to take care of both of them, taking care of himself to keep from needing to worry about it later.

As he sat with Yukio still firmly wrapped around him, Jushiro ran his hand over Yukio’s back, murmuring softly into fine blonde hair, “You did so well all day today, Yukio. You’re always so good for us. We love you so much. No one in the world could ever replace you.”

Yukio felt a gentle warmth settle within him at the words, holding Jushiro tighter and nuzzling against his chest. “Danke, Meister,” he said softly. “Always want to be good for you and mein Ichigo… Love you both…”

Jushiro leaned over a bit to guard Yukio from the water above them when Ichigo came back to them and turned it on, bearing the moment of cold before it began to level to the same temperature as the front showerhead. When it was warm, he leaned back to allow it to saturate Yukio’s hair and flow down his body. “I’m going to put you next to me so that Ichigo can take care of both of us, alright, love?” he asked gently, running a hand through now soaked blonde hair.

Yukio nodded, responding softly with a warm smile, “Ja, Meister.” He absolutely loved how his Meister had remodeled the shower in particular, that he was able to sit snuggled up against either him or Ichigo while the other bathed them. There had even been several occasions where he’d been able to wash his gorgeous partners as they sat together for him, loving the fact that he could easily do so when they were seated upon the bench, even with his small stature.

Jushiro shifted to sit Yukio next to him, keeping his arm around him and holding him against his side. He gave a soft hum as he closed his eyes and tilted his chin up to let the water flow over his face and through his hair, running the hand that wasn’t around Yukio through the long white strands to wet them to the ends.

Ichigo had gathered what he would need, setting it all on Jushiro’s other side and beginning by lathering soap into a loofah and going to stand in front of Yukio. He leaned in to kiss his cheek before starting to wash him. He always was slow with this process, knowing that the gentle touch and constant loving attention kept Yukio relaxed and rather deep in subspace compared to the very light subspace he lived in. There was just something about having those glassy emerald eyes look up at him, full of love and admiration, that made Ichigo’s heart feel impossibly full. He knew he didn’t always deserve such incredible fondness, but he accepted it, knowing Yukio would never think he didn’t earn every bit of his love and trust.

Ichigo continued seamlessly to wash Jushiro when he was finished with Yukio, and when amber eyes met jade, Ichigo smiled at the completely relaxed expression on Jushiro’s face. He cupped Jushiro’s cheek in his hand and leaned in to kiss him softly, chuckling at the suds he had left on the other man’s face when he pulled his hand away. Jushiro truly didn’t mind, allowing Ichigo to continue without a word. It was ridiculous to think this man was always in a dominant mindset, as much as he  _ seemed  _ completely accepting and even leaned into such treatment. Still, his eyes were completely clear, obviously aware, and he did occasionally give direction. It just amazed Ichigo that he could be so calmly commanding.

When he moved on to wash both of their hair, he treated them both to a rather long massage, never rushing unless he took so long that the water began to get cold. He was just finishing rinsing the last bit of shampoo from Jushiro’s long hair when he felt the water begin to tip over from warm to cool, and he had them both stand under the front showerhead briefly to be sure they were completely clean before turning off the water. He leaned out for towels, handing one to Jushiro before draping one over his own shoulders and kneeling before Yukio, drying him gently and completely. He hung the damp but warm towel over Yukio’s shoulders before drying himself, scooping Yukio into his arms when he was finished.

Ichigo took Yukio to the bed, simply sitting on the edge for a moment with Yukio in his lap, legs wrapped around his waist. He nuzzled his nose into damp hair, kissing Yukio there and saying, “Love you so much, my Yukio. Today was amazing.”

Yukio hummed happily, feeling exceedingly tired but completely loved and cared for. “Ja, amazing,” he agreed, placing a gentle kiss to Ichigo’s collarbone. “Love you, mein Ichigo.”

When Jushiro entered the room, he placed a light kiss on Yukio’s hair as he passed to the dresser, getting out their sleep clothes and placing them on the edge of the bed next to Ichigo. He rested his hand on Yukio’s back, smiling when tired emerald eyes came up to him. “Let’s get dressed, love. Are you up for combing and braiding my hair, or are you too tired?” he asked.

“Never too tired for that, Meister,” Yukio responded with a warm, sleepy smile. 

Jushiro chuckled quietly before getting dressed himself, always remaining shirtless to sleep now that he had Yukio in bed with him. It certainly never would have been a habit before. He helped Ichigo dress Yukio in his soft sleep clothes and took him to sit on the bed, placing him near the headboard and sitting in front of him with his back to him, taking a deep, calming breath as he waited for Yukio to braid his hair. This was really one of his favorite things about their routine, always being soothed by Yukio’s careful movements as he handled his hair.

Ichigo came to lay across the bed as he often did, looking up at Jushiro with a tired grin. Amber eyes fell shut when Jushiro brought his hands to Ichigo’s hair, massaging his scalp in a firm motion that was just enough to pull Ichigo into a state of immense relaxation.

Even tired, Yukio deftly handled the comb, being incredibly gentle as always as he brushed through his Meister’s long, snowy white hair. The focus it required was just enough to keep him fully alert and he took so long that Jushiro’s fine hair was nearly dry by the time he separated it into three sections and began to plait it down his back. After securing the end, he simply ran gentle fingers over the plait, loving how soft Jushiro’s hair always felt.

Jushiro looked over his shoulder briefly and his smile softened when he saw just how heavy Yukio’s eyelids were. “Ichigo, go on and lie down properly,” he instructed quietly. As Ichigo moved to lay in his usual place on the bed, Jushiro turned toward Yukio, bringing a hand to his cheek and stroking his smooth skin with his thumb. He gently took the comb from Yukio’s hand and brushed his fringe from in front of his left eye, combing it through several times to be sure it was free of tangles before braiding it quickly but still with gentle care. “Let’s sleep now, love. I believe we’re all quite tired,” he said with a smile.

He didn’t wait for a response, knowing Yukio was very nearly to the point of being unable to do so anyway. He slid under the blankets, pulling Yukio to him as he did so, Yukio’s back flush with his chest. “Good night, love. Sleep well,” he murmured, and then reached over to Ichigo to run a hand down his arm, saying, “And you as well, Ichigo. I love you both so incredibly much.”

Yukio snuggled into his hold, emerald eyes closing as he said softly, “Love you… Meister… Mein Ichigo…” His voice trailed off, his breathing already slowing to steady. He’d adored the scene they’d done, but after being edged for so long and being fairly active except during the time he was bound, he was  _ tired. _ He was also very deeply relaxed and happy, falling rather rapidly towards sleep with a soft smile upon his lips.

“Love you, Jushiro, my Yukio,” Ichigo replied, scooting in as closely as he could to surround Yukio with secure warmth. 

Jushiro smiled as he looked over his partners, always loving falling asleep in contact with both of them. Yukio would return to class on Monday. So there was still tomorrow, and Jushiro hoped what he had planned would be as special to Ichigo and Yukio as he knew it would be for him.

Tomorrow would be a day he would likely never forget.

* * *

The weather was warm, actually unseasonably cool for late August, and Jushiro had insisted that they spend Yukio’s last day before he began classes again outside, since he knew Yukio was often buried in schoolwork each semester. He had taken them to the same hill over the lake that they visited often, taking lunch as they usually did.

It was a normal day for the three of them, so Jushiro had no idea why he was so reluctant to say what was on his mind. They had been together every moment they could be over the summer, except for the time when Jushiro had to be at work. But with Yukio beginning classes again and Ichigo set to start a career of his own soon, they would be together less, and that caused what was likely undue anxiety to rise in Jushiro’s heart. It would be the first semester Yukio would be without Ichigo - that was his main concern. Really, though, he wanted to do this for all of them.

He turned to Yukio and Ichigo, who were sitting within arm’s length of him on the blanket they had brought, and gave them a smile. “There’s something I’d like for us to do before tomorrow,” he said plainly, bringing about understandably curious looks from both of them. With a shaky breath, he shifted to actually sit facing them, holding out his hands for each of them to take one. When they did, he squeezed their hands tightly before saying, “I know we can’t  _ really  _ do this, but I want to  _ symbolically  _ marry you both.”

“Meister?” Yukio questioned, his voice soft. His heart felt like it had stopped and he was trying to get it to beat  _ normally _ again after… after…  _ marry? _

Ichigo was a bit confused, but really more concerned for Yukio, who seemed to have frozen at Jushiro’s words. “What do you mean?” he asked, trying to get the question across that Yukio was clearly trying to ask.

Jushiro ran his thumb over the back of Yukio’s hand, focused on him completely due to his much more severe reaction, as he explained, “I know legally we can’t get married, but I want there to be a visible representation that  _ we  _ are married in our own way - that our hearts feel no differently for one another than those who  _ are  _ legally married. I love the two of you too much to keep this ring on my right hand forever. I want everyone who sees it to know that I am committed to both of you as my husbands, even if I can’t have it on paper.”

“Meister?” Yukio whispered out this time, emerald eyes wide. His mind kept catching on being  _ married _ to these two gorgeous men - for them both to be his  _ husbands _ \- for him to be  _ theirs _ \- 

Yukio’s breathing picked up considerably, not fully accepting that this was real. He’d wanted this for so incredibly long, but three people  _ couldn’t  _ marry. So he’d dismissed it as impossible. But his Meister - his wonderful, kind, gentle, beautiful Meister didn’t seem to care. He wanted to marry them  _ both _ \- even if it was only recognized by them and their families. And Yukio honestly had never heard of anything more wonderful. He knew he was breathing too quickly but he couldn’t help it - this was all he’d dared to want but hadn’t allowed himself to entertain for more than a fleeting moment - and his Meister just…  _ just…  _

Jushiro couldn’t help but chuckle a bit, pulling Yukio to him by his hand and settling him in his lap against his chest. He held him there tightly, Ichigo willingly letting go of his hand to allow him to bring one arm around Yukio’s back while the other hand carded soothingly through his hair. “Breathe, Yukio. Calm, love. I’m sorry if I overwhelmed you,” he murmured, reaching down to kiss Yukio’s hair.

And Yukio did calm, obeying his Meister as he always did. It took a few minutes to actually get complete control over both his heart and breathing, cuddling and nuzzling into Jushiro while closing his eyes. Eventually he whispered out, “You want us… to be husbands?”

Jushiro loosened his arm around Yukio just enough to meet his eyes, the hand in his hair trailing down to his chin to bring his gaze up. “Yes, love - of course I do,” he replied, jade eyes averting to find Ichigo looking on with an elated grin. “I got the three of us these rings thinking it would be enough, that just having them would feel  _ right  _ to me. But really, I already see both of you as my partners for  _ life -  _ my husbands - and having this ring on my right hand just seems… inadequate. It’s not a true reflection of who you and Ichigo are to me. So really, all we’ll be doing is switching which hand our rings are on, but to me, it means  _ so much  _ more than that.”

Yukio nodded, a few tears escaping at the words - because he’d felt the same. The moment Jushiro had given him his ring, the realization that they each had one… It’d meant  _ so much _ to him… “Ja…” Yukio whispered, agreeding, “So much more…”

Jushiro moved his hand slightly from Yukio’s chin to catch and wipe away the tears that had fallen, leaning in to kiss Yukio’s forehead gently. Seeing that Yukio was as steady as he was likely going to be through this, Jushiro extended his other hand to Ichigo again, pulling to coax him closer, close enough for Yukio to actually be able to sit in Ichigo’s lap with his legs still in Jushiro’s. 

Ichigo took Yukio’s right hand and kissed his ring before asking, “Can I put yours on your left hand for you?”

“Ja…” Yukio whispered, his voice - his whole body really - still shaking a bit. He watched with wide emerald eyes as Ichigo slid the ring he really hadn’t taken off from his right ring finger, obediently handing over his left hand for him when he gestured.

Ichigo held the ring and Yukio’s left hand for a moment, smiling as he looked into emerald eyes. “I asked to do this for you because this is the first semester you’ll be at school without me, and I want you to remember with this moment that I’ll always be here for you - and so will Jushiro. Even if you feel alone in a new class with new people around you, we’re always thinking of you, my Yukio, and no matter what kind of day you have, we’ll be there every moment we can be.” He then slid the ring onto Yukio’s left ring finger, taking Yukio’s hand in bringing it to his lips to kiss the back of it.

“Ichigo…” Yukio whispered out, more tears escaping him, “mein Ichigo…” he honestly didn’t know what to say. He’d been a little anxious about Ichigo not being with him on campus this year. Luckily Toshiro would occasionally be around, though often he was holed up in a lab if he was on campus. Ulquiorra’s studies didn’t even require him to set foot on campus, able to work completely remotely if he wanted. But there was quite a bit of engineering involved in Yukio’s graduate studies and he had to go to campus for those courses, even if the coding could be done mostly from home.

“Danke…” he finally settled on, staring at the simple silver ring upon his left ring finger.

Jushiro squeezed Ichigo’s hand that he was still holding - his right hand - and brought it toward himself. “Would you mind if I switched yours, Ichigo?” he asked.

“No, I don’t mind,” Ichigo replied, his wide smile still in place as he watched Jushiro take the ring from his right hand and take his left when it was offered to him. 

“Ichigo, nothing I’m going to say to you is something I haven’t said before, but I still know you sometimes don’t feel that you deserve such high praise. I will forever thank you for being such a loyal protector for Yukio. I honestly never expected to love you as deeply and truly as I did Yukio nearly immediately, and I know you felt the same way about me. But I  _ do,  _ and I wouldn’t give you up for anything in the world. You’ve brought so much to my life that you don’t even realize - things so deeply complex that I can’t even explain them, but I know my life is complete because of  _ you  _ and Yukio, not  _ just  _ Yukio,” Jushiro said, sliding Ichigo’s ring onto his left ring finger.

Ichigo’s smile softened as he looked at the ring’s new position, and his heart was so full that he felt a gentle heat flooding over him, like somehow this  _ did  _ make a difference. It wasn’t  _ just  _ where the ring was - it was their love for each other for the world to see. “Thank you, Jushiro,” he said softly.

Jushiro nodded to him before looking at Yukio, holding his own right hand out to him. “Would you switch mine for me, love? You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to,” he requested.

“Ja…” Yukio breathed out, gently taking Jushiro’s right hand to slide off the ring from his right ring finger, his own hands still shaking. He then took his left hand, sliding on the ring, holding his hand in both of his, staring. He then leaned down, kissing the ring now resting upon his left ring finger before looking up into those kind jade eyes, saying softly, “I could…  _ never _ thank you enough… You connected Ichigo and I… You gave me a home - a  _ family…  _ You’re mein Meister -  _ always…” _

Jushiro leaned down to kiss Yukio’s cheek. “Always,” he murmured against his skin. He closed his eyes, reveling in the peace and closeness between them in this moment. He knew this was more than just symbolic to them. This day would be their anniversary, the day they truly - with words and actions - committed themselves to one another. 

It didn’t matter who called it fake.

Didn’t matter who mocked them or said their bond didn’t truly exist.

Anyone who said that had never felt love like  _ this.  _

Because this love was  _ real,  _ and Jushiro knew none of them would ever let it go.


End file.
